A Different Divergent: More Today Than Yesterday
by moonshine356
Summary: More drama and turmoil for Tris and Tobias on their way to their happily ever after. This is the continuation of my story A Different Divergent. It is highly recommended you read it first or you won't understand this one. Please see A/N at end of chapter 30 for upload schedule. I don't own Divergent or any of its characters. Rated M. Please read and review. Enjoy!
1. Chapter 1

My large apartment is buzzing with activity right now. Christina is bitterly complaining about none of her clothes fitting now that she's really starting to show while standing behind Ciara styling her long blond hair into an elegant updo for tonight's Valentine's Day celebration and dance. Marlene and Shauna are on my love seat with their heads huddled close together whispering intently about Uriah and Zeke in hushed tones. Every once in a while they giggle almost uncontrollably causing the rest of us to stop what we're doing and stare at them. They only blush a little at the unwanted attention then continue. Since it's a Valentine's Day party tonight, Kirsten and Ella didn't want to come, which didn't surprise any of us. They really don't get out much since Dante and Samuel's executions six weeks ago. Lynn is in the corner of the room at the bottom of the staircase putting a small puzzle together with Tyler, Tobias' 2-year-old little brother, who has every one of my friends as well as Tobias and me wrapped around his little finger. I'm sitting on a barstool at the island with a peach oatmeal mask on my face that quite honestly smells absolutely divine and is making my stomach growl and rollers in my wet hair waiting for my turn to have Christina work her magic on me.

Looking at Tyler makes my heart tighten a little remembering why he's here, and I can't believe how fast the past six weeks have gone. It still seems like yesterday when Tobias and I got that dreadful phone call. We were celebrating the drama around the lists Asher and Dru developed being over and the fact I fought off the death serum Cameron gave me at the masquerade ball and survived when we got the emergency phone call from the hospital in the center of the city telling us Evelyn had been admitted to the obstetrics ward with life-threatening pregnancy complications. What was worse, the baby was in severe distress as well. We were told Evelyn went to the emergency department earlier in the day complaining of a terrible headache, blurred vision, severe fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, and sharp pain in her abdomen. She wasn't sure what was going on; she thought she was losing the baby. Thankfully, she went to have it checked out. The doctors who examined her diagnosed her with severe preeclampsia and immediately admitted her to the hospital to treat her with blood pressure medication, a strict low sodium diet, and bed rest until she's far enough along to safely deliver the baby. At the time she was at 24 weeks and 2 days, and the goal is to have her make it to 37 weeks. I pray every single day as hard as I can that Evelyn can make it and the baby will be born healthy.

Tobias and I immediately raced to the hospital that day to make sure our baby was going to be okay and check on his mother. I've never been so scared in all my life. I thought my terrified heart was going to hammer its way out of my chest while Tobias sped maniacally through the snow-covered streets of the city to get to the hospital. When we got there, we didn't know exactly where to go and had a hard time finding anyone who was kind enough to help us, which amplified our increasing stress. Tobias completely lost it and blew up. He was screaming at the top of his lungs for someone to take him to his mother and daughter. Finally a nice older Amity volunteer with kind hazel eyes took pity on us and showed us the way to the obstetrics wing. Tobias and I thanked her profusely.

When we stepped off the elevator, we immediately looked for the nurse's station so we could find out which room Evelyn was in. It didn't take us long to find it once we calmed down and followed the plentiful signs on the walls. We announced our arrival to the first nurse we saw, and she kindly took us to Evelyn's room, which was down a series of long corridors. Finding our way now is like second nature but then we were too amped up to follow the simple verbal directions she gave us at first.

When we walked into the room, it was shocking. She looked absolutely dreadful. Her already pale olive complexion was sallow and sickly. She seemed even more frail-looking than she appeared not one short week earlier when Tobias formally introduced me to her at the train yard, and she told us about the baby. She smiled weakly up at Tobias and reached out for him, and after several tense moments he relented and went to her side to hold her hand. I sat down in one of the two comfortable chairs in the corner of the room not wanting to interrupt them.

After a few minutes Evelyn asked about his decision to adopt the baby. Tobias turned to me and motioned me forward. I went to stand beside him, and together we told her we wanted to adopt the baby. He didn't stop there. He also told her about our fears and reservations, and she seemed to understand so when he told her we had some paperwork for her to sign giving up her parental rights, she immediately agreed. But when Tobias mentioned the baby's father, she got really quiet. She told us he was reluctant to meet with us because of the fact he's still married and living in Abnegation and doesn't want his wife to find out about the baby. _Or all the children,_ I thought to myself. That information caught us both off guard. We thought her lover was factionless just like her. Tobias explained to her that we needed the baby's father's information and signature also for the adoption to proceed. She promised us she would have him get ahold of us. So far he has not, which has us both on edge.

Once we found out Evelyn had been stabilized and the baby was out of any immediate danger, we decided it was safe to go home. We were slowly walking past the nurse's station on our way out, both totally exhausted, when we were stopped by a social worker who had been placed in charge of Tyler's care when Evelyn was admitted to the hospital. Sadly, both Tobias and I had forgotten about little Tyler, who had spent the day playing by himself in the hospital's daycare center, when we got the call about Evelyn and the baby. After very little discussion, we were happy to do it, he was immediately transferred into our custody until after Evelyn could safely deliver the baby and be discharged from the hospital.

Tobias and I knew we were going to be parents but we weren't expecting it to happen so soon, and we definitely weren't ready for a toddler. Having a rambunctious, inquisitive, and sometimes temperamental two-year-old to look after when you have zero child raising experience – Tobias and I neither one had younger siblings at home to look after and babysitters weren't needed in Abnegation because parents think date nights away from the family are selfish – is like trying to perform delicate brain surgery when you're a classically trained French chef, you don't have a clue as to what you're doing.

The first night was the hardest. We didn't know Tyler's routine or if he even had one since he'd been living among the factionless his entire life. We didn't know what he liked and didn't like. We also had a hard time communicating with him. He can still be talking away and I don't have a clue as to what he's saying. Thankfully, Hana told me that was perfectly normal and he will get easier to understand in time! He remembered us but was extremely shy and didn't want to leave the hospital or his mother to go home with us but once Tobias put him up on his shoulders to give him a ride, he was as happy as a clam and ready to go. He liked the ride Tobias gave him but riding in the car was even more exciting for him. Thankfully it had a built-in car seat, or I'm not sure what we would have done.

I texted Christina with the news we were bringing home Tobias' little brother home so she kindly went out and bought everything she thought we would need for him: Clothes, toys, a toddler bed, which Tobias and I neither one had thought about, additional food, and baby shampoo and other necessities. When we got home, I was feeling a bit overwhelmed but he settled in nicely. He only cries once in a while for his mom, which still breaks my heart. We've established rules and a routine, and he seems to be thriving. Every day it gets a little harder to think about giving him back to his mother.

"Earth to Tris," Christina says with humor in her voice. I look up over my shoulder at her, and she's grinning at me. "Where were you? I've asked you the same question three times. Who's watching Tyler tonight?"

"I'm sorry. I was daydreaming. Avery is watching Tyler tonight," I say. "I wouldn't know what to do without her. Four and I would never get to leave the house except to go to work."

"Avey!" Tyler says with excitement on his face, clapping his little hands together. Everyone grins at him. Avery has been a life saver since Tyler moved in with us.

After we got him to sleep that first night, he cried for his mommy, which threatened to tear my heart out, Tobias and I stayed up late talking about what having Tyler live with us meant for our relationship. We knew our life had changed drastically and permanently that day, much sooner than we thought it was going to. We promised each other a date night every Saturday and time with our friends every other Friday night. Sunday's were no longer going to be spent in bed for hours on end making love, which we were both a little sad about. We decided they were to be spent together as a family with Tyler and then later the baby. The three of us have done all kind of things from spending the afternoon making dozens of freshly baked cookies then delivering them to all our friends and random strangers in the Pit to just this past Sunday, which was an unseasonably warm February day, going to the large children's park in town to let Tyler run and get all his bottled-up aggression out. He's not used to spending all his time indoors. He wore himself out playing and slept on Tobias' shoulder all the way home since we had taken advantage of the weather and walked.

We were extremely nervous about leaving Tyler with just anyone so Tobias and I talked to several people with kids throughout the compound and were given a list of responsible babysitters, and a familiar name popped out at me immediately, Avery Parrish. I remembered her name from Dr. Parrish's middle of the night visit the day Asher was arrested. I immediately called him and asked if she liked babysitting. He told me she loved it and was very good at it. I called her that afternoon after upper levels was dismissed and made arrangements for her to be our permanent babysitter. I think we made an excellent choice because she's wonderful with Tyler, and he loves her and looks forward to their time together. A towel hits me in the face bringing me out of my reverie and everyone laughs at me. I blush bright red even though no one can see it under my mask.

"I don't know where you keep going, but you better get that mask off your face," Christina says. I throw the towel back at her but she ducks out of the way. I go to the little powder room, which sits in the corner of the living room tucked neatly under the floating staircase and carefully wash the mask off my face making sure I don't get any water in my now dry hair. I go sit on the end of the couch with my legs resting on the cushions, and Tyler immediately leaves Lynn and the puzzle behind and climbs up on my lap. I hold him in my arms, and he rests his head against my small chest. I notice his eyes start to flutter. I tickle a little up and down his arm and immediately he falls into a peaceful sleep. The whole world is right when I'm holding him in my arms like I am in this moment. I look over at Christina, and she's watching Tyler with an odd look on her face. I furrow my brows at her, and she smiles brightly.

"I can't wait to hold my little one the way you're holding Tyler right now," she says. "If I'm telling you the absolute truth, I'm a bit jealous."

"Hell, I don't even want kids, and I'm a little jealous," Lynn says, putting the puzzle in its box. "He's a great kid." I look down at Tyler and see he's out like a light.

"I don't want to give him back," I quietly say. I don't look at anyone except the perfect little angel who is asleep in my arms right now. I can't believe I said that out loud when I haven't even allowed myself to think the words in my head before. "I want to be selfish and keep him but I know I can't. He isn't mine but I feel like he is. It's going to break my heart when he leaves."

"You'll have your daughter to think about," Christina softly says.

"I know," I say. I have so much more to say but I need to stay quiet. My friends aren't the ones who should be hearing this revelation, Tobias should. Not that it would make a difference. We can't just take someone's child away from them. Isn't that what I was most afraid of when I was in my fear landscape?

Knowing he's totally out, I carefully get up off the couch and carry him up the stairs and put him in his toddler bed for his nap. Tobias had his old bedroom set taken out of the room closest to ours and put into storage. We set that room up as Tyler's bedroom. We bought a little dresser and a rocking chair to go with the bed Christina picked out. She went a little crazy and bought him more clothes than _I_ have, and she kept bringing him more and more until I had to put my foot down. He has to be the best dressed kid in all of Dauntless, maybe the entire city. He's never worn anything twice. I turn on the baby monitor and bring the receiver downstairs with me. When I go to sit back down on the couch, Christina announces that it's my turn. I go and sit on the barstool directly in front of her and let her start working on my hair. I feel her talking the rollers out of my hair as I stare out the wall of windows at the sun reflecting off the tall glass and metal buildings across the way while Christina babbles on and on about tonight's party, thinking about Tobias.

Things are great between us, but we haven't been spending a lot of quality alone time together, and I miss him terribly even though I see him all the time. It's been more than a week since we last made love. To go from making love daily, sometimes more than once a day, to only once a week is brutal. I was watching him closely this morning while he was making pancakes and bacon for Tyler and me, and I got the distinct impression he feels the same way I do. I plan to make love to him tonight if it's the last thing I do but sometimes life get in the way and you don't get what you want. Sometimes a 2-year-old has a nightmare and wants to sleep with you or you're so exhausted you can't keep your eyes open and you fall asleep during supper or my favorite reason for not being with the one you love more than life itself, you have an absurd argument over the toilet seat not being put down and you won't even talk to each other for the rest of the night let alone touch one another. The reason's we haven't been together are mainly baffling to me, except for Tyler few interruptions. The sound of my phone telling me I have a message brings me back to the present, and Christina hands it to me.

"Everything is stable with Evelyn and the baby," I say with a sigh of relief, reading from the text message. Tobias spends a couple of hours just him and Evelyn at the hospital every Saturday afternoon making sure she and the baby are okay. He's still hurt and very angry with her but he doesn't want to add to her stress so he's trying very hard to forgive her for abandoning him as a child. "She's now at 29 weeks and 1 day."

"How much longer do they want her to go?" Marlene asks while rubbing lotion into her long legs. "I forget."

"The doctors want her to make it another seven weeks and six days to get her to 37 weeks," I say with a yawn.

"Are you okay, Tris?" Christina asks, worry in her voice. "You sure have been tired a lot lately. It's like you're on those pain pills again." Oh, I remember the pain pills I had to take after I fell off the steep path that leads in and out of the Pit. I would sleep for hours on end but this is a different kind of tired. I don't feel dopey, I'm just _really_ worn out. I've often wondered about it myself lately and concluded that the death serum did more damage than we thought, and it's going to take some time to recuperate but I can't tell anyone that. They are never to know exactly what Cameron gave me the night of the masquerade ball or I could end up a lab rat in Erudite.

"I'm okay," I say, another yawn escaping. "I haven't been sleeping very well. I've also been under a lot of stress since well before Christmas, and for some reason my body likes to sleep its way through a tense situation. I thought everything was going to get so much easier after we found Asher, Dru, and Cameron and that situation was put to rest but then Four and I got the call from the hospital and it was just one crisis right into another. I'm looking forward to some normalcy once the baby's here and she's healthy and safe in my arms."

"I hope you're right," she quietly says. She lets out a little gasp in my ear, and I turn and look at her. She's holding her stomach and has a goofy expression on her face.

"What is it?" I tentatively ask.

"The baby," she says with awe on her face. "I just _felt_ the baby." She holds perfectly still for a moment then tears start to stream down her face. "It feels like little butterflies are moving in my stomach. I've never felt anything like it before. It has to be the baby." Her eyes meet mine, and I give her a bright smile. She wipes the tears away.

"Do you want to call Will?" I say to her. She shakes her head.

"No," she says. "He won't be able to feel it. It's so faint. I'll tell him when we get together tonight." She lightly rubs her fingertips on my cheek for a second. "It feels like that but on the inside." My eyes widen at the feeling. It must be amazing to feel a new life move inside you for the first time. "Turn back around, I have to finish your hair." I do as she says. Everyone tries very hard not to add to her stress nowadays. She can get _very_ testy.

Within minutes, my hair is done, and I'm upstairs slipping into my new lingerie I bought especially for tonight, which consists of my normal style bra and boy shorts but they're a daringly see-through candy apple red, especially for Valentine's Day. Christina talked me into them last week. Maybe later tonight I'll be thankful for that but right now they seem extremely out of character for me. I slide the black long-sleeved see-through crochet swing dress that overlays a removable black spaghetti strap slip lining over my head. It barely comes to mid-thigh on me, so I decided when I bought it to pair it with my black and crimson thigh-high leather boots Tobias got me for Christmas. I'm sitting on the edge of the bed lacing them up when I realize it's the first time I've had them on since the night Tobias was attacked on the path. Thinking of that night makes my heart hurt. I shake off the bad memory and stand in front of the mirror. This is definitely the most daring outfit I've ever worn, and it shows a lot of skin but I love it. I have a sneaky feeling Tobias is going to also. Christina pulled my curls into a messy updo using sparkly diamond-tipped bobby pins to hold them back. She also did my natural-looking makeup for me. She wouldn't take no for an answer. I think she misses working in the salon since she got the promotion to manager of the boutique after Zoe was made factionless for helping Dru and Cameron fool me the night of the masquerade ball. I take one last look in the standing mirror then head towards the stairs but movement stops me at Tyler's room. He's sitting on the floor soundlessly playing with his cars.

"Hi," I say, leaning against the doorframe. He looks up at me and beams. God, he reminds me so much of Tobias, except his eyes are mine. I imagine if we ever have a son, he will look something like Tyler.

"Pitty, Twis," he says.

"Thank you, Tyler," I say kneeling down in front of him. "Do you want to go downstairs and wait for Avery or would you like to play up here?" He looks at his trucks then looks back up at me. "You can bring two trucks with you." He picks up his two favorites, a bright red fire engine and a big yellow dump truck, and carefully follows me down the stairs. When we get to the bottom, Avery is standing in the doorway with a bag. Tyler drops his trucks and runs full speed at her.

"Avey, Avey, Avey," he screams. She bends down and picks him up when he gets to her.

"Hi there, buddy," she says. Then she holds up the black red-heart-covered bag she brought with her. "I brought a new movie to watch and some popcorn." I smile at the pretty, petite auburn-haired girl who has her father's warm light brown eyes.

"We're going to go now, Avery," I say as Marlene, Shauna, Lynn, Ciara, and Christina gather behind me. Christina's already cleaned up my apartment while I was upstairs getting dressed. She amazes me. "There's a cheese pizza in the freezer you can put in the oven. Help yourself to anything in the fridge. You know Tyler's schedule. Four and I will be home before 1:00 a.m. You have our numbers if you need anything. Can I get you anything before we go?"

"No, Tris," she says. "You guys have fun tonight." I follow my friends out into the hallway but turn and look at Tyler before I go. He meets my eyes and gives me a bright, loving smile and a little wave. I return his smile and lock the door behind me.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you enjoyed this first chapter. If you did, leave me a review! **


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: Here is your next chapter and thank you for all the kind reviews so far! You guys are awesome!**

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><p>I leisurely walk with Christina, who's wearing a skin-tight strapless crimson cotton tube dress that hits her mid-thigh, down to the cafeteria for the special Valentine's Day supper she planned. It accentuates every curve she has and shows off her growing tummy, which she absentmindedly keeps rubbing. It actually makes her look more pregnant than she really is. She's wearing matching black and crimson 4-inch spike heels and has her black curly hair, which has grown out another inch or two, styled naturally with a sparkly crimson headband holding it away from her face. She walks confidently down the path, not a care in the world. If I was wearing shoes like the ones she has on, I would either fall flat on my face or off the side of the path again. She had to stop at her apartment and get the gorgeous matching diamond tennis necklace and bracelet Will gave her to wear tonight so we sent Ciara, Marlene, Shauna, and Lynn on ahead of us. I notice her eyes on me as we walk down the path.<p>

"When are you going to tell everyone about your engagement?" she asks. "It's been six weeks since Dante and Samuel's executions. Kirsten and Ella should be able to take it by now." I thought it was cruel to exploit Tobias' and my happiness in the midst of their misery so we didn't tell anyone we're getting married. I never stopped wearing my engagement ring, but no one has ever noticed it, except for Christina, or if they have, they never said anything to either me or Tobias.

"Actually, we plan on telling everyone tonight at supper," I say, a smile brightening my face. "And tomorrow afternoon Four, Tyler, and I are going to visit my parents and give them the news about the baby. This is going to be a big weekend." My parents inconveniently found out about my engagement to Tobias when I blurted out he was my fiancé when I was being interrogated under truth serum after being accused of being Divergent by Asher Parrish. Of course he was right, but I was able to lie even under the harsh effects of the truth serum and save not only myself but Tobias also. We didn't think the interview room in the middle of Candor was the appropriate place to tell them we're also adopting his baby sister so we made unofficial plans to go to Abnegation and then Erudite to tell Mom, Dad, and Caleb at a later time when things calmed down. Then when Evelyn's complications arose, Tobias and I decided not to tell them until we were 100% sure the baby was going to make it but we did make the decision to tell our friends since we brought Tyler home with us. We knew they would be curious, and they've all been great emotional support.

"Wow, that's a big step," she says. "Are you nervous?"

"Terrified actually," I say with a bit of a grimace on my face. "I don't want to alienate them. I thought I would lose them by leaving Abnegation but we're so much closer now than when we were all living in the same house. It's baffling, I really can't wrap my head around it."

"They'll be shocked at first like my mom was when she found out I was pregnant," she says. "Words might be exchanged but they'll soon realize if they ever want to _see_ their grandchild they can't alienate you or Four for that matter. It will be fine. You'll see. It might be rough for a little while but you'll all get through it. Mom, Will, and I did." Christina finally told me a couple weeks ago just how rough it was when she told Stephanie that she and Will were expecting a baby. Her mom was not happy and tried everything within her power to get them both to not only change their minds about keeping the baby but also break up. When she was able to find her voice, she was in shock, Christina told her mom to back off, that she loved Will, and they were happy with having a baby. She also told her if she ever wanted to see the baby, she could never talk to them like that ever again. Her mom finally relented and calmed down. Christina didn't tell me any of that for a long time, and I think that's why she doubted Will a little when she found out Tobias proposed and she didn't have a ring on her finger yet and was already pregnant.

Christina and I come around the corner by the cafeteria to find Will and Tobias waiting for us. When I meet Tobias' smoldering eyes, which are leisurely gliding up and down my body as I came closer to him, it feels like everyone else in the Pit just melts away, and I'm left walking toward him and him alone. He looks especially handsome tonight in a black pair of boot cut dress pants, a tight long-sleeved button-down shirt in black with a crimson pinstripe, and black leather ankle boots. I rush into his arms, and his mouth lands on mine for a long, lingering kiss. It feels like it's been so long. He slips his tongue between my already parted lips and slowly mates it with mine causing desire to stir within me. We break away from each other, our breath coming hard and fast. I look up into his passion-clouded eyes, which seem a full shade darker blue.

"I love you, Four," I quietly say. I so want to call him Tobias in this moment because right now he _is_ my sensitive, caring, romantic Tobias. He isn't everyone else's stern, aggressive, callous Four. He takes me back in his arms, leans over, and puts his mouth against my ear making a shiver slowly go down my spine.

"I love you, Beatrice Grace," he says. "You look deathly sexy in that dress. I can't wait to get it off you." I breathe in a ragged breath at his boldness. I have a feeling we aren't going to make it until 1:00 a.m. to steal away.

"Me too," I whisper. We smile at each other, and slowly I realize we are no longer alone in the world. Some have stopped to stare open mouthed at this rare public display but I don't care, I'm with the man I love who loves me just as much, and it's Valentine's Day. He takes my hand in his and guides me into the cafeteria. When we walk into the room, we stop in our tracks. Off white linen table clothes are draped over all the long black metal tables. Down the center of each table top are several black wrought iron birdcages with various height dark pink candles burning and bouquets of red, pink, and white roses in sleek black vases. Each seat has an exquisite place setting consisting of bone china in a light blush pink color, silver of the highest quality that until now has only ever been used on Christmas evening here in Dauntless, and delicate crystal goblets filled with water and champagne glasses filled with sparkling cider. This room has never looked as romantic as it does right now. We finally gather ourselves and move toward our table.

"You look absolutely gorgeous tonight," he quietly says as we take our seats. "Just like always."

"So do you," I say, placing a kiss on his cheek. I don't want to tempt myself by kissing his lips again. He looks at me and raises his eyebrows. I know what he's asking, and I nod slightly at him. He picks up the champagne glass and loudly clears his throat. Every eye at our table lands on him.

"Tris and I have an announcement to make," Tobias says, looking lovingly down into my eyes. We smile brightly at each other, and once again I feel like there isn't another soul on the planet with us. "I asked her to marry me."

"And I said yes," I finish for him. He gently puts his lips to mine and kisses me briefly. All our friends are whooping, hollering, clapping, and stomping their feet. A high-pitched whistle is coming from Zeke. A blush colors my cheeks when I see nearly all the eyes in the cafeteria land on our table.

"Four and Tris are getting married," Zeke shouts for the entire room to hear, and Tobias' and my eyes widen. Neither one of us like being the center of attention. The whole room explodes in celebration. I'm surprised I can hear myself think. The entire crowd is chanting "kiss" over and over, and I can't help but blush a deeper crimson to match my boots. He puts his arms around my waist and pulls me close to him then gently puts his lips on mine. I lose myself in his kiss like I so often do and don't care that there are hundreds of eyes on us right now. The place goes wild. When we break apart, we both sit down at the table then he wraps his arms around my shoulders and puts his lips in my hair. Soon the crowd settles down and goes back to their own celebrations. Out of the corner of my eye I see Peter get up from his table and stalk out of the cafeteria. I try not to think about his declaration on New Year's Eve but I imagine this news isn't the easiest for him. It makes me feel sorry for him a little ... a _very_ little. I push any thought of him out of my mind and think only of Tobias and our happiness.

"Congratulations, guys," Zeke says. "What took you so long to tell us?" I meet Tobias' shocked eyes. He obviously didn't know that Zeke knew.

"How did you know?" Tobias asks.

"The rock on her finger," Zeke says. "I'm not blind." I look at my diamond that sits atop the infinity band that represents our never-ending love. I will admit it's hard to miss. Ciara, Marlene, Shauna, and even Lynn clamor to look at it. I hold my hand out so everyone can see.

"We didn't want to make the announcement with the executions so fresh in everyone's minds," I quietly say.

"Everyone could have used some good news," Uriah says. "Maybe you should have told us earlier." I think of Kirsten and Ella for a moment. Their lives changed so drastically when it was found out that Dante and Samuel were key players in letting Asher, Dru, and Cameron know what was going on here in Dauntless on a daily basis. For a while Dauntless members tried blaming Kirsten and Ella as well, and they stopped taking meals in the cafeteria and finally disappeared from view all together. Even some sitting at this table right now tried to blame them when none of it was their fault. I remember a time when even I was stunned that Kirsten wasn't involved. I felt bad that they were being persecuted for things beyond their control and went to them and begged them to come back to the cafeteria to have supper with me. They relented and finally followed. When we got to our table, I firmly explained to everyone that I personally witnessed Dante and Samuel's interrogations, and Kirsten and Ella had absolutely _nothing_ to do with the lists, assaults, or killings and that they would be sitting with us from now on since they're our friends. We haven't had any trouble since that day.

"I didn't think it was fair at the time," is all I say and everyone knows my meaning. Just then dozens of male volunteers dressed in black tuxedos bring in tray after tray of delicious smelling food.

We are served a mouthwatering five-course candle-lit supper the likes Dauntless has never seen with delectable choices including prime rib with a creamy horseradish sauce, blackened salmon, rosemary baby red potatoes, spinach salad with goat cheese, creamy cucumber salad, butternut squash soup, creamy tomato soup with fresh basil and mozzarella, crab cakes, and shrimp cocktail but it's the fresh strawberry cheesecake that's the unexpected hit of the night. It's unlike any kind of cake I've ever had in my entire life. As a matter of fact, it isn't cake by traditional definition. It's moist and creamy and one of the best things to ever cross my lips since I joined Dauntless.

After supper is over, Tobias and I as well as all our friends slowly move into the auditorium for the party. Christina's done it again. I don't know where all her ideas come from but she's transformed the plain, boring auditorium into a lovers retreat. It's decorated in the same colors as the cafeteria: Various shades of red, pink, white, and black. All the round tables are decorated with the same off white table clothes, vases of red, pink, and white roses, and black wrought iron candle-lit birdcages. Here and there throughout the room are red and black loveseats brought in from the furniture store just for tonight. Couples are lounging on them, catching their breath before they go back on the dance floor. The pillars that hold up the ceiling have been transformed into columns of red, pink, white, and black balloons. There are hundreds of various-sized silver metal hearts hanging from the ceiling. The black fabric-lined walls have strands of light pink twinkle lights dancing off the hearts. The dance floor is packed with couples clinging to one another, swaying to the soft rock ballad that's blaring through the enormous speakers on the stage. I see Tori with her new boyfriend, Frankie Dutka, who also just happens to be the DJ I saw her flirting with at the masquerade ball, on stage slowly dancing in each other's arms.

Tobias leads me through the crowd of Dauntless members to our table and gets me another glass of sparkling cider. I sit down and look at the crowd of people moving together and think of the last time I was in this room. My chest tightens at the memory of almost losing my life and leaving Tobias behind but also of Cameron's treachery and his hands on me. A wave of strong nausea washes over me, and I take a sip of my cider and inhale slowly in and out through my mouth.

"Are you alright, Tris?" Tobias says with worry in his voice, taking note of my now clammy appearance. I look into his concerned, loving eyes, and the nausea dissipates as quickly as it appeared. I nod my head at him and shake off the bad memory. I take his hand in mine, pull him out on the floor, and we dance close to each other for hours getting lost in the music and in each other.

"Do you want to get out of here?" he asks me well before midnight. I look up into his eyes and see need radiating out of them. I nod my head at him, and he takes my hand and leads me toward the exit doors and out into the Pit. We quickly climb our way toward our apartment, desire tightening my stomach muscles, when he takes a sudden turn down a very familiar hallway.

"What are you doing?" I ask him. He looks down over his shoulder at me, and his gaze sets me on fire. He walks down the hallway, takes a key out of his pocket, and unlocks the door. He opens it and steps out of the way letting me enter his old apartment. I gasp at what's before me. In the middle of the large but very familiar space is his old bed, which I thought he put in storage. Behind the bed is a makeshift headboard consisting of soft pink and white steady-glowing twinkle lights. The bed has crisp, clean white sheets with an oversized black quilt thrown over it. Everywhere I look are dozens of red, pink, and white roses. There's also rose petals scattered at my feet, all over the floor, and across the bed. Soft candle light is glowing from the bathroom, the kitchen countertop, and two tables that have been set up on either side of the bed. There's also a bottle of sparkling cider chilling in an ice bucket on the table closest to the bed with two glasses on it.

"Did you do all this?" I whisper as I turn to face him. He has his hands held out to me, and in each hand is a small black velvet box. "Tobias Eaton. You have to stop with the gifts. I didn't get you anything".

"Yes, I did all this for you," he says, emotion thick in his quivering voice. He clears it and takes a deep breath. "As for the gifts, Tris, get used to them. If I feel the need to get you something, I'm going to do it. Also, you never have to get me anything as long as I have you. You are all I ever want. Open one of them at least." I take the small square box out of his left hand and flip the hinge on the top and see a pair of heart-shaped diamond earrings that take my breath away. "Did you know your birthstone is the diamond? I didn't. Now this one." I hold out my trembling hand and pick up the next more rectangular-shaped box after I give him back the first one. I open the lid slowly, and nestled in the black silk is a tiny little platinum lock with a red ruby heart and key for my charm bracelet.

"For our first Valentine's Day," he says as he takes it out of my hand and attaches it to the charm bracelet dangling from my left wrist. I also put the earrings in my naked ears. He kisses them softly. I look into his dazzling eyes, and burning desire makes itself known once again. I reach for him, bringing his mouth to mine, as a thunderous knock sounds throughout the apartment.


	3. Chapter 3

Tobias groans loudly, let's go of me, stalks over to the door, and opens it hastily to see who dare interrupt us tonight of all nights. I don't recognize the timid voice in the hallway but the conversation is over practically before it begins. I do hear whoever it is say they're sorry for the mix up and Tobias closes and locks the door. When he turns back to me I forget all about the interruption and boldly lift my dress and get my hands on the waistband of my barely there boy shorts and slide them down my legs and off over my boots, then let my dress return to its normal position. His eyes glaze over with lust at the sight. He takes two giant steps toward me, and I'm once again in his arms. His soft, pink lips land roughly on mine, and he kisses me savagely. He forces his tongue into my mouth and claims it as his own.

My hands move to the waistband of his pants where my sure fingers quickly move the button from its home and slide the zipper down over his straining bulge. He picks me up, carries me across the room, and lies me on my back in the middle of the rose-petal-covered quilt and follows me down. I immediately put my hands in his pants, cupping his hard bottom and pull him closer to me. I squeeze rougher than I intend, raking my nails over the sensitive skin, and he pulls his mouth away from mine with a startled gasp, pain flashing in his eyes.

"Sorry," I mouth as no sound except for a long, low guttural moan is coming from me. I can't wait any longer, it's been far too long as it is. I push his pants down over his bottom, freeing his rock hard manhood and take his hard length in my small hand and place him at my moist entrance. He plunges himself fully within my depths with one driving thrust that causes me to scream his name in ecstasy. I grind my hips to his in slow, incessant circles then I start rocking frantically beneath him. He continues with the frenzied pace I set, his need as overwhelming as my own. He slips his hand between us and puts a firm, steady, circular pressure on my hard, aching nubbin with his thumb, and I feel the familiar stirrings of my approaching release. He increases the pace further, and I meet every one of his slamming thrusts with one of my own until I can't hold on any longer, and I slip over the edge into oblivion. I feel him explode in my depths as I spasm uncontrollably around his length. He collapses on top of me, and I welcome the weight I've been undeniably craving and tenderly kiss his cheek. We let our choppy breath slow and even out. He goes to pull out of me but I stop him.

"No, don't move yet, Tobias," I say, tightening myself around him, grasping him firmly from the inside. A primal moan escapes his lips into my ear. "God, I've missed you. I've missed this." A tear escapes and slides down my face toward my ear. He rolls us so we're on our sides, still joined, and I'm in his arms. He kisses away the moisture the runaway tear left behind.

"I understand exactly what you mean, Tris. I can't believe it's been a week since we last made love. It seems so long," he says tenderly, almost sadly.

"I know, Tobias," I say. "I am _so_ sorry. I really am. I feel like it's all my fault. I've been so busy with work and Tyler, and I'm absolutely exhausted by the end of the day that most days you're carrying Tyler _and_ me to bed."

"I understand, and I wasn't blaming you," he says, gently caressing my face.

"Are you feeling neglected?" I ask, remorse in my voice. "Please tell me the truth. I can handle it." His eyes penetrate me to my very soul.

"I do _not_ feel neglected. I do feel a bit lonely even though we sleep right next to each other all night, every night," he says. Then he places his supple lips gently to mine. He glides his tongue along my bottom lip, and I open my mouth so he can explore every inch of mine with his talented tongue. He kisses me passionately until we break apart, gasping for air. "And it isn't just you. I haven't made a move to be with you this entire week either. I've been preoccupied, stressed, and tired." He sighs. "I don't want to become one of those couples who only has sex once a week because it's their scheduled date night, then only once a month, then once a year. I don't think I could handle that."

"I don't want that either. I want to be able to make love to you whenever I want to, whenever the desire hits me." The need I feel for him tightens my tummy, and he's already buried deep inside me where I want him. Another tear slides down my cheek. "I'm afraid I don't know how to balance everything, Tobias. I don't know how to do this," I say, emotion thick in my throat causing my voice to waver. "I want to be a good lover to you, and I also want to be a good Dauntless leader. I want to be a good friend to all our friends, and I also want to be a good council member. But most importantly, I want to be a good mother to our children, and I also want to be a good wife to you. How can I be all those things at once? I'm not sure I can. I feel like I'm failing."

"You're not failing," he says. He withdraws from my depths leaving me feeling empty not only physically but emotionally. He sits up, and I do the same. We stare into each other's eyes for a long time before he continues. "I'm sorry to hear you're feeling this way. Why didn't you say something to me before, Tris? You can talk to me about anything, you know that."

"I didn't know I was feeling this way until it just came out of my mouth. Honest," I quietly say to him. I look down at the soft, fragrant rose petals that are scattered around us the bed. I absentmindedly pick one up and run my fingers over it, crushing it. "I think we've been concentrating a lot on Tyler and getting him settled into this temporary life. Also we've been worried about the baby and making so many trips to the hospital to see Evelyn and check on her condition. Tobias, I think somewhere along the way, even though we said we wouldn't allow it, we forgot about us. Yes, we've had our Saturday nights and occasional Friday's but everything's become so routine, and I feel like I'm on autopilot." I hesitantly raise my shy eyes to meet his, suddenly worried about his reaction. He's slowly nodding his head.

"I think you're right," he says. He raises his hand and gently glides it down my cheek. "We let life get in the way, didn't we?" I slowly nod my head in agreement. "We need to make _us_ a priority each and every day. We need contact ... not necessarily making love ... but some sort of physical contact every single day. It can be as simple as lounging together on the couch watching a movie or lying in each other's arms in bed talking about our day. Maybe a long, slow make out session in the kitchen while supper is cooking, or scrubbing each other's backs in the shower ... just something that makes us feel connected to each other and whole because honestly that's how I've been feeling lately, disconnected and like a part of me is missing." Tears uncontrollably flow down my cheeks. He tries to wipe them away with his thumbs but they fall faster than he can dry them. "I hope you don't think I'm saying these things because I'm unhappy or angry with you or to hurt you. That wasn't my intention," he says. I shake my head at him. I know he's not unhappy, and I can tell he's not angry. He's just feeling the _exact_ same way I've been feeling these past few weeks, cut off from him and missing something. I'm missing my other half ... I'm missing him.

"Tobias," I whisper as this overwhelming need threatening to consume me. "You said you've been feeling disconnected and like a part of you is missing. I've been feeling the _exact_ same way. _You_ are my missing piece, and I need you to fill me. _Please_. Will you make love to me again? I need you so much." He moves his mouth toward mine when I suddenly remember Tyler, and I push him away. Confusion and hurt fill his face. "I'm so sorry but we can't. Not here at least. When we get home. I forgot about Tyler. We have to leave soon so Avery can go."

"No, we don't," he says, a smile brightening his already handsome face. "I arranged with Zander and Stella for her to spend the night with Tyler. We don't have to be home until noon tomorrow. Happy Valentine's Day, Tris!"

"A whole night with no interruptions ... _that_ is the kind of gift I will always cherish the most," I say.

He slowly slides off the side of the bed and pulls me with him. We then strip the bed down, releasing an overwhelmingly intoxicating rose scent into the air, being extremely careful of the lit candles. We wouldn't want to set the apartment on fire. I step closer to him and push him back down on the bed and finish taking his pants and boxer briefs off as he's kicking out of his shoes and socks. I place targeted kisses here and there starting at his hip bones, working my way down to his toes. I stand at the edge of the bed making sure his eyes are on mine and place my hands on the hem of my dress and slowly raise it up and over my head and toss it to the ground leaving me only in my see-through candy apple red bra and thigh high leather boots. Tobias' eyes nearly pop out of his head when he takes in the sight of me in the daring and totally out of character lingerie. I reach my hands around my back to take the bra off but he shakes his head.

"No," he says, a mischievous smile tugging up the corners of his lips. "Leave it on. I _like_ it." I meet his naughty grin with one of my own. I knew I would be happy I bought this. He reaches his hand out to me, and I take it. He pulls me down on top of him, and I press my small body to his and place my lips on his, kissing him passionately. I eagerly thrust my tongue into his mouth and let it dance with his while my hands roam his perfect body. He runs his hands up and down my curves then starts to take the diamond-tipped bobby pins out of my hair to let my curls fall. The synchronized movements of our kiss continue until he breaks away and draws an uneven breath into his lungs. I sit up, straddling his lap, and I feel his engorged manhood pulsating beneath me. I slowly, methodically rock myself back and forth over his hard length enjoying what the friction of our touching bodies does to my aching nubbin. His already desire-clouded eyes glaze further at the contact, and he reaches up to cover my swollen, aching breasts with his callus-roughened hands. I draw a raspy breath through my clenched teeth as he rolls the hard, little buds between his thumb and fingers. I lean forward slightly and slowly unbutton every button on his shirt while he manipulates my throbbing nipples through the sheer fabric of my bra. He sits up and places his mouth on mine with a hard kiss, his tongue gliding along my bottom lip asking for admittance but I don't open. Finally he nibbles on my bottom lip causing me to gasp, and he powerfully shoves his tongue into my mouth and nearly down my throat searching for mine. I finally meet him, and we let our hungry tongues perform their own special mating ritual. I rip his shirt off his shoulders and toss it to the floor. I move my mouth to his shoulder and place a soft kiss, my labored breaths coming short and fast. He crashes his lips back into mine and flips us over so that I'm once again beneath him.

"Tobias," I manage to say between heated kisses. "My boots."

"Leave them on," he says gruffly. "They turn me on." He looks down into my eyes, and they glaze over further with a powerful lust-filled need. "Do you want me to slow down and take my time or do you want me right now?" I'm nearly delirious with want but I also can't stand the thought of this being over. I don't know what to say.

"Take your time," I breathlessly say, surprising myself. He smiles lovingly at me and slowly lowers his mouth to mine, once again claiming it as his own. I surrender completely to his talented lips and tongue. He kisses me slowly, purposefully until I think I will die from breathlessness. He moves his hot, wet mouth down to my neck and kisses me while I run my hands up and down his sculpted back. When he sucks gently on the sensitive spot just beneath my left ear, I grab tight to him leaving scratch marks on his back but he doesn't stop. He moves his mouth up and sticks his tongue in my ear, twirling it gently in circles and something happens that's never happened before, a spasm of pure pleasure rockets through my body from where his tongue is mating expertly with my extremely sensitive ear to my pulsating womanhood. He takes his mouth off me with an inquisitive look on his face while I'm trying to regain control of my breathing.

"Did you just come?" he roughly asks. All I can do is slowly nod my head up and down since no sound can escape through my heaving chest. "Hmm." He smiles that cocky grin of his and returns his mouth to my ear. Immediately I feel the spark of another raging fire ignite. I drag his lips back to mine, and he chuckles against my open mouth. He finally breaks away and kisses down my neck to my ravens. He kisses each one in turn until he lands on his. He traces every inch of my largest raven with just the tip of his tongue making the need I feel pulsate even greater between my legs. He then kisses further down my body to my heaving, swollen, tender breasts. He reaches underneath me and unclasps my bra and slowly slides it off. He then cups a breast in each hand, kneading gently, eliciting a groan from the pit of my stomach. His eyes meet mine as he flicks each of my aching peaks with his fingers. He then captures one between his lips and sucks it deep into his mouth. My back arches off the bed, and I'm starting to reconsider the slow down and take your time approach as every touch is felt between my open thighs, which I keep inching further and further apart.

"Tobias," I moan on a ragged breath of air. "Please." I don't know what I'm asking for, I just want it to continue. He switches breasts and draws the hard, aching, sensitive bud deep into his mouth, sucking, nibbling, and licking. He glides his right hand down my body, caressing me freely until he finds my moist center open for him. He insert his middle fingers into my folds and starts thrusting and retreating in a slow, deliberate pace. After a few minutes he adds a second, and I arch toward the exploring fingers. I pull his mouth closer to my breast as he nibbles on the taut bud. He then inserts a third probing finger into my depths and picks up the pace. When he adds a gentle massage to my hard, aching nubbin with the pad of his thumb a fiery explosion of ecstasy rages through my body making me writhe on the bed beneath him. Finally when the last shudder moves through me I collapse on the bed, not sure I can take any more. He kisses his way back up my body until he's lying between my outstretched legs. He places himself at my wet entrance and looks down into my eyes as I let my breath return to a somewhat normal rhythm.

He puts his forehead against mine, looking directly in my eyes as he guides himself slowly, inch by incredibly hard inch, deep inside my moist womanhood. He stills himself then leans down and hooks his arms under my knees and brings my legs back toward my chest, expanding my small body further for his substantial manhood. He kisses my leather-clad knee, and I swear I feel him swell further inside me, stretching me farther than he ever has. He does love the boots. He slowly rotates his hips, and I trust mine up to him trying to achieve an even deeper penetration. His eyes glaze over as he slowly withdraws then slams back into me fully, bottoming out. A scream leaves my lips and he freezes.

"I'm fine. Do it again," I pant. The concern immediately leaves his eyes, he smiles, and repeats the movements for a good five minutes before he loses himself, and I find myself meeting his slamming thrusts. He slows when he senses my approaching orgasm, and I let him. I'm not ready for this to be over. Even though it's only been a week, I've been missing the spiritual connection we have when we make love. We are not two people making our way through life when we're joined, we are one, and I wish I could find a way to carry this feeling over into our everyday lives. I feel my orgasm approaching again, and I move letting him know I want on top, and he rolls us. I put my hands on either side of his head and rock back hard onto his hips that are thrusting frantically upward, increasing the pace even further. He captures my swollen breast in his mouth and laps gently at the hard, sensitive bud.

"Oh, God," I say. "Shit." I bite my lip to keep from screaming again. We have to be annoying the hell out of his old neighbors.

"Are you ready to come again?" he breathlessly asks, looking up into my eyes and I nod. He rolls us so he's on top. It's amazing how we both give and take control. He slams into me over and over as I shiver beneath him with the most satisfying release of my life. When I hear him scream out my name, tense, and explode deep within me, I'm still riding the wave of orgasmic pleasure he provided. He rolls us before we collapse, me on top of him. We lie still for a long time, enjoying the feel of each other's bodies and letting our breath return to normal.

Slowly I feel his arms reach up and encircle me, holding me tight. I gently roll off of him after he slides out of me and cuddle next to his side. I lean my head back and look in his loving eyes.

"What is it with you and shoes?" I ask with a laugh.

"I honestly don't know," he say. "But I love it when you keep them on when we make love."

"I can tell," I say, playfully slapping his chest. I don't want to sleep but I feel the familiar exhaustion starting to drag me down and I yawn. He kisses my forehead then moves away from me. A pout automatically comes to my lips, and I reach out for him.

"I'm just going to take your boots off and get the quilt, Tris," he says with a smile. "You shouldn't have to sleep in those, and I don't want us to freeze during the night." He slowly unlaces the boots then slides them off of me after he pushes my hands away. Then he goes throughout the apartment blowing out all the candles but he does leave the twinkle lights behind the bed on giving the room a soft pink glow. He puts the quilt over me then pours us each a glass of sparkling cider then climbs into bed. We lie next to each other sipping the cider and staring into each other's eyes. When I'm done with my glass, I set it on the table closest to me then search out his mouth. We kiss leisurely until I once again find myself yawning.

"I am _so_ sorry, Tobias," I say, sadness welling up inside me. "I'm just _so_ tired. I'd rather stay up and make love all night long but I think I need some sleep."

"It's okay, love," he says. "Get some sleep. We still have the morning." Desire and fatigue battle within me as I lie naked in Tobias' arms, feeling his hard naked body next to mine but soon the fatigue wins and the darkness of sleep consumes me.


	4. Chapter 4

My eyes gently flutter open and confusion overwhelms me. I feel Tobias' strong arms around me, and the sweet memories of last night come flooding back, and I finally remember where we are, lying in bed in his old apartment. Like I've thought many times before, it pays to be a leader. Most people don't have access to an empty space in Dauntless for a romantic rendezvous.

I can't believe he did all this for me. The roses, the candles, the wall of light, the bed, the time. Tears well up in my eyes at the thought of how much he loves me. There are days this baffles me beyond words. I don't understand how this perfect, kind, romantic, sexy man could possibly be mine. I don't understand how he feels for me exactly how I feel for him but he does.

We made love again in the middle of the night. I reached out for him and was lucky enough to find him awake but in that moment I would have woken him if I needed to, I wanted him that much. We took our time again, thoroughly exploring each other's bodies with our hands and mouths until we couldn't wait anymore. What I loved the most was he relinquished total control to me. I made all the moves, I set our pace, and I brought us to fulfillment together. It was a perfect joining of not only our bodies but our souls.

"Are you awake?" he asks me, pulling me from my reverie. I lean my head back and meet his uneasy eyes.

"Yeah," I say. "I just woke up."

"How did you sleep?" he says, worry in his voice. "You were tossing and turning most of the night." I think of how I feel. I'm still tired but other than that, I feel really good.

"I think I slept okay. I'm a bit tired but other than that, I feel great, Tobias," I say. I lean up and give him a long, lingering good morning kiss.

"I'm going to take a shower," he says, kissing my cheek. Then he adds with a nearly irresistible smile, "Would you like to join me?"

"I think I'm just going to lie here and relax if that's okay," I say. "I need the rest." He kisses my forehead.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asks, caressing my face, the worry returning to his eyes. "You've been awfully tired lately."

"I've been thinking about why that might be," I say, remembering a random thought I had yesterday while getting ready for the party. "I think it's the death serum." At mention of the death serum and that awful night, Tobias' entire body tenses up beside me. "I should probably go have it checked out with Dr. Parrish. I think it's having lingering effects on me. I'm sure I'm okay though. Go take your shower. I'm going to sleep a little more. I love you." He kisses me gently, worry still evident in his eyes.

"Okay, I love you, too," he says. I lie back looking at him. He gets out of the bed and goes into the bathroom, leaving the door wide open. I watch every move this gorgeous naked man makes and desire tighten my stomach muscles. _What are you doing, Tris,_ I think. _A magnificent man, the man you love more than anything, wants to take a shower with you – make love to you – and _you_ would rather sleep. What is wrong with you?_ I quickly slide out of bed.

Suddenly my world no longer feels like my own. My body temperature spikes dramatically even though I don't have a stitch of clothing on and there is no heat on in the apartment. A wave of nausea unlike anything I've ever felt before crashes over me causing my mouth to water almost uncontrollably. Dizziness overwhelms me, and I reach out to balance myself but there's nothing to hold on to. An annoying buzzing sounds in my ears, and black spots interrupt my vision then they quickly turn into complete tunnel vision right before blackness engulfs me.

An irritating, rhythmic beeping brings me back to the world. My heavy eyelids fight their way open, and I recognize the sterile white walls, low-hanging fluorescent lighting, and lumpy, uncomfortable mattress of an infirmary examination room bed. To my horror, I realize I'm in a hospital gown. I look around but I'm completely alone. I now realize the beeping that woke me up is the heart monitor that's attached to my chest. I also have an IV in the back of my hand that's delivering some kind of clear fluid into my body, and there's oxygen being forced into my nose. I try to remember what it was I was last doing, but I'm having a hard time concentrating. My last real clear memory was Tobias and I together last night at the Valentine's Day party. I think harder, and I vaguely remember lying in bed talking to him then suddenly it all comes rushing back to me ... his old apartment, my Valentine's presents, making love, waking up in each other's arms. I also remember that I decided to take a shower with him when I started feeling sick. I wonder what happened. I also wonder where everyone is at.

I hear subtle voices in the hallway and think I can make out Tobias' deep, rumbly voice but I'm not sure. If I wasn't attached to all these wires, I would simply get up and see if I could find someone who could give me some answers. I notice a little machine clamped to the end of my left index finger. I squeeze it, and it comes off, sounding an alarm. That should get someone's attention. I hear the sound of rushing footfalls heading my way so I put the little clampy thing back on my finger, and the alarm stops going off. Tobias is the first one through the door, his eyes wild and his chest heaving breath in and out. When he sees me awake he visibly calms.

"You're awake," he says, coming to the side of my bed. I reach out and take his hand in mine. I immediately calm when we touch but I feel his hand shaking in mine. I notice he's wearing his black dress pants and that's all. No shirt and no shoes or socks.

"What's going on, Four?" I quietly ask, confusion filling me. "Why am I here?" A young man, 25 years old at the most, with bright blue hair, multiple rainbow-colored piercing in his ears and on his face, and a stern look approaches me. He's wearing a stethoscope around his neck and black and purple scrubs. I've often wondered if there were any other doctors working here with Dr. Parrish. "No offense, but I would like Dr. Parrish to examine me. He's been my doctor since I've come to Dauntless." Those aren't the real reasons I want to talk to Zander but I don't know what else to tell him. He sighs dramatically and gives me a hard look. I see Tobias glance at him with a told-you-so grin.

"My name is Dr. Young, and like I was just telling Four here, Dr. Parrish is not on duty tonight," he says in a very snippy tone. "You will either have to let me look at you or you can just wait until Dr. Parrish is back on duty the day after tomorrow." I feel Tobias' grip on my hand tighten, and his grin disappears. I look at the smug doctor standing in front of me then narrow my eyes and glare at him. I don't like his tone. I may be young but I _am_ one of Dauntless' leaders, and I deserve respect.

"Four?" I ask, not taking my eyes off of Dr. Young. "Will you please call Zander and have him come down here. I need to speak to _my_ doctor. And you, Dr. Young, need to watch your tone. You may not realize who you are talking to right now but I have the authority to make you factionless. I'd remember that in the future." The doctor looks at me incredulously, throws his hands up in the air, then walks out of my tiny room.

I could see visible shock on Dr. Young's face for a split second when I called Dr. Parrish, Zander. After the trouble with the lists, Asher's execution, and trusting one another with our deepest, darkest secrets, Zander and his wife, Stella, and Tobias and I have become really good friends. We've even taken Tyler to their apartment for supper with his large-by-Dauntless-standards family. He and his wife have six children ranging from 3 to 15: Zane, Sadine, the twins Nash and Nya, Gavin, and Avery. Zane just turned 3, and he and Tyler get along incredibly well. They're inseparable at daycare. The staff likes to call them the terrible two even though there isn't anything remotely terrible about either one of them.

"I already did, Tris," Tobias says, palming my cheek with his hand. I lean into him. "He's on his way here. Are you okay? What happened?"

"I was asking you that," I say. "I don't remember a lot. It's kind of fuzzy. I think I was following you into the shower but then I ... I don't know what happened. I felt bad ... really bad."

"I found you lying on the floor at the foot of the bed when I got out of the shower," he says. "You nearly scared me to death. I put my pants back on, wrapped you in the quilt, and raced you down here."

"You brought me _naked_ through the Pit?" I ask, a deep crimson coloring my entire body. The heart monitor's steady rhythmic beep surges dramatically and starts jumping all over the place at the thought.

"Calm down, Tris," he says, his hands hovering like they did the night I fell from the path. "I didn't think I had time to redress you. It was just easier to wrap you up like a cocoon and bring you down here. No one but the two nurses who helped you into your hospital gown saw anything, and they're the ones who have helped you in the past." I calm down at that. I guess I had a vision of him running through the Pit with me naked in his arms. That almost sounds like Zeke or Uriah's idea of a great dare for Candor or Dauntless. I better never mention it to anyone.

"I don't care what you think. If Four or Tris or anyone else for that matter _ever_ has an emergency and want to see _me_, you damn well best better call me," I hear Zander yelling in the hallway. "I don't _ever_ want to have a patient call me at home because you won't respect their wishes." I hear Dr. Young say something back but I can't quite make it out. Soon Zander is coming into my room and closing the door behind him.

"Thanks for coming, Doc," Tobias says, reaching out to shake his hand. We usually only call him Zander when we're socializing.

"I'm sorry to call you down here in the middle of the night on your day off," I say to him apologetically, a sheepish look on my face. I look up into Tobias' eyes and see fear, which in turn scares me. This isn't anything to really worry about, is it? "We both think this has something to do with the death serum." He straightens up a bit at that. "Otherwise I would have let Dr. Young look at me."

"It's okay, Tris. I totally understand, and I'm glad you called for me. Did you really threaten to make him factionless," he says with a chuckle, sleep still evident in his voice. I nod my head at him and he grins. "What am I going to do with you? You keep terrorizing my staff."

"He wasn't very nice to us," I say. Tobias nods in agreement. This sobers him up, and he looks over his shoulder toward the hallway with a frown on his face. "I thought I needed to remind him who he was talking to."

"He'll be dealt with, Tris. I'm sorry for his behavior and how you've been treated here tonight," he says. "Four told me he found you unresponsive on the bedroom floor. Can you tell me what symptoms you've been experiencing?" He holds up my written chart and flips it open.

"Tonight I got really hot, nauseous, and dizzy. My ears started ringing, there were block spots in my eyes, and then ... nothing. I've been incredibly tired lately ... _unreasonably_ tired." He gazes at me for a moment, his head cocked to one side and his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.

"I want a urine sample and a blood draw. I'm going to check the results of this blood panel against the ones from your last visit to see if there have been any changes. You guys sit tight," he says. He walks out the door, closing it behind him. The heart monitor gives away my nervous state. I hear a grating noise as Tobias pulls the waiting room chair across the floor up to the side of my bed and sits down. He takes my now trembling hand in his.

"It's going to be alright, Tris," he says. I stare at him but I'm not quite seeing him. I'm thinking of the masquerade ball and that damn Cameron dressing up exactly like Tobias and slipping death serum into a glass of sparkling cider. I didn't think twice about taking something from Tobias that night but I should have been more careful, more aware. I should have turned around and looked at him and none of this would be happening right now. I knew Cameron was stalking Dauntless and planned on making a move that night but instead I fell right into his trap. I thought I fought off the death serum that awful night and that I was going to make a full recovery. I felt great for about three weeks but the past three have been hell even though I never told anyone. What if I was wrong, what if we _all_ were wrong. What if it's been killing me slowly? Tears of frustration and anguish flood my eyes. Tobias jumps up when he notices the waterworks and sits on the edge of the lumpy mattress and pulls me into his arms. I sob into his naked chest. He holds me until the tears dry.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. "I shouldn't let my imagination run away with me. Whatever this is, we can handle it together. Right?" He places his hands on either side of my face and looks deep into my eyes. I see fear, love, and pain on his face.

"Together we can do anything, Tris. You're going to be fine. I know it," he says before he places his lips on mine. He kisses me until we hear the door open. We break away, and I see Isobel walk into the room.

"Sorry for the interruption," she says, a slight blush on her face. I quickly wipe away the few tears still running down my cheeks. "I'm here to draw your blood and get a urine sample." Tobias gets up off the bed, moves the chair back to its original position, and sits down out of her way. First Isobel draws two vials of blood, which makes me a little lightheaded then she helps me to the little bathroom in the corner of the small room so I can collect a urine sample. Another nurse is waiting in the room when we come out, and I immediately recognize her as Emily, the striking nurse with long curly purple hair and a painful looking stud in her bottom lip who first helped me the night I fell from the path. She thinks I have a bad attitude. I'm glad it's Isobel who is helping me tonight. Isobel hands her the urine sample and blood vials, and she takes them to have them analyzed as Isobel helps me get back into bed and gets me hooked back up to all the machines.

"I don't know what tests he is running so I can't say how long he will be," she says to us. "Can I get anything for either of you? Four, would you like me to get you a pair of scrubs to put on?" He looks down at himself and blushes slightly. I think he forgot he's sitting there bare chested.

"Yeah, I would appreciate that, Isobel," he says. "Thank you." She smiles and heads out of the room. Tobias moves the chair back to the side of my bed and holds my hand. We stare at each other, not saying a word. Within minutes, Isobel brings in a pair of scrubs for Tobias. We thank her, and he goes into the small bathroom and changes into the bright green pants and shirt. He looks really good dressed this way and, unbelievably, desire tightens my tummy and I sigh.

"You look good in those," I shyly say. When he comes back to me, he moves the chair out of the way and sits on the side of the bed.

"I know you don't want to hear this, but you look hot in that hospital gown," he says. I look at him like he's lost his mind. He leans close to me and whispers, "How about I keep the scrubs, you keep the gown, and sometime we can play doctor." Even growing up in Abnegation, I know what that reference means. I roll my eyes at him and start laughing. He joins me with the belly laugh I love to hear from him. I immediately start to relax.

"Tobias?" I ask after we've been quiet for a while. He looks at me. "I'm sorry about this. It kind of put a dent in our morning."

"Don't apologize, Tris. You have _nothing_ to apologize for," he says, placing a kiss on my forehead. I close my eyes while his mouth is on me. We break apart when we hear the door open, and Tobias gets up and stands by the side of the bed.

"I have some news for you," Zander says after he comes back into the room and closes the door behind him, a serious look on his now wide awake face. "You might want to sit back down, Four." My heart rate picks up as evident by the heart monitor, which is beeping erratically again. Tobias takes my hand in his, bracing himself for the bad news, but he doesn't sit down. "Tris all the tests have been analyzed and ... you're pregnant."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Thank you for all the kind reviews! I honestly wasn't expecting it! You all are so nice to me that I thought I would do something nice in return and give you a bonus chapter! I hope you enjoy!**

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><p>I automatically start giggling like I just heard the funniest joke ever told. Tobias drops my hand and backs away from the bed until he bumps into the plain white wall, his public mask transforming him from Tobias into Four. It sounded like Zander just said I was pregnant but I know that's impossible. We were extremely responsible and went to the clinic in town months before we had sex for the first time, and I had the birth control shot that protects a woman from pregnancy for 12 months. Then we waited more than the three months that Isobel, the nice nurse who works at the clinic and sometimes here in the infirmary, recommended we wait to make sure it was effective. He has to be mistaken.<p>

"No, I'm not," I say, still giggling. He must be teasing me but it really isn't a funny joke, so why can't I stop laughing? "Your tests must be wrong. I can't be pregnant, Dr. Parrish." He looks at me like he's extremely worried for my sanity, like I've possibly lost my mind in the last few seconds while he's been standing here watching me and there isn't anything he can do to help.

"Tris, I'm afraid you _are _in fact pregnant," he states matter-of-factly. "Along with the other tests I ran this evening, I thought I would run a pregnancy test just to rule it out because all your symptoms are consistent with pregnancy. It's the one and only test that came back positive." Suddenly the humor I'm feeling fades away, and I feel like I'm silently choking. No, I can't be pregnant. There has to be some mistake. Maybe I'm still asleep back in Tobias' old apartment. I slowly start shaking my head. The heart monitor stops sounding for an entire second before it starts beeping faster than I've ever heard it beep before.

"I had the birth control shot in September, Dr. Parrish," I say, disbelief consuming me. "We waited longer than the three months Isobel told us to wait before we made love. I _can't_ be pregnant." I look toward Tobias, who is as still as stone, and notice that the Four mask is firmly in place so I can't see what he's thinking or feeling. I wish I knew how he felt.

"You need to calm down, Tris. It isn't good for you or the baby," the doctor says. I'm still slowly shaking my head at him. I hear the words coming out of his mouth but I don't comprehend them. My heart is trying to painfully hammer its way out of my chest, and I'm having a hard time catching my breath. "I blame myself for this. If I would have paid more attention to the blood tests I ordered on New Year's, this could have been avoided. I would have told you that you needed to use another form of birth control until another shot could be administered and its level was protecting you. I was so concerned with the levels of the main toxin in the death serum being eliminated from your system I didn't notice the active ingredient in the birth control shot was decreasing as well. Essentially, the death serum erased the birth control shot allowing you to get pregnant. I'm very sorry. I would estimate you are six weeks pregnant by the blood test but we'll have to do an ultrasound to confirm." Six weeks. It's been exactly six weeks since Tobias and I made love after the masquerade ball fiasco.

Tobias slowly lowers himself into the waiting room chair by the wall. His mask falls away, and when I see the shocked expression on his pale face, tears well up in my eyes. I wonder what he's thinking. Why won't he look at me? My breath starts to come in short, sharp, agonizing gasps. Zander rushes to my side.

"Tris, you _need_ to calm down," he says. I try but I can't. He yells out the door for someone to bring something, I don't understand what it is he's saying mainly because I can't think straight and my world starts to spin. A nurse brings a syringe immediately, and he administers its contents into my IV. Instantaneously I feel a calming effect spread throughout my entire body, and I stop hyperventilating. He takes his stethoscope from around his neck and puts it to my heart, listening very carefully. I notice the worry in his eyes fade away. "I just gave you a very mild sedative. It shouldn't cause you to sleep, but it will help keep you calm. You need to try to stay calm, Tris. That is very important for you as well as the baby. I'm going to leave you and Four to talk for a little while. You need a pelvic exam and ultrasound. Would you like me to do them or would you be more comfortable if I had one of my nurses do it?"

"I would like Isobel to do them," I say, my voice trembling. He turns to walk out of the room, and I stop him. "Dr. Parrish, what do we tell her about how I got pregnant? She's the one who gave me the birth control shot."

"I know the shot is supposed to be infallible but I'll tell her the truth, the poison Cameron gave you on New Year's Eve rendered the birth control shot useless, and I didn't catch it. I really am sorry, Tris. Four. This is probably the last thing you expected with another baby already on the way," he says with a sheepish look on his face. "One positive note though, Tris, you are perfectly healthy. The death serum had no lasting effects." So I'm not dying, I'm just pregnant. Pregnant at 16 with another child already on the way. I feel my heart start to hammer in my chest again. The erratic beeping on the EKG thaws Tobias, and he jumps up and sits on the side of the bed. He takes my face between his hands.

"Calm down, Tris," he slowly says. "Keep your eyes on mine. Breath with me." He takes long deep breaths in through his nose and exhales them out through his mouth. He does this several times, and I mimic his every move, my eyes never leaving his. Tears are once again swimming in my wide, confused eyes.

"Are you okay, Tobias?" I ask, my voice still shaky. The moisture in my eyes is now overflowing and running down my cheeks. "Tell me what you're thinking. I need to know."

"I'm just in shock, Tris," he says, his voice wavering slightly. I know it hurts him to see me cry but I can't stop the flow of emotions. "Honestly, hearing you are pregnant is the last thing I was expecting Zander to say. Oh, please don't cry." He gets up from the bed and goes to the other side and lies down with me. He puts his arm around my shoulders and pulls me close to his side. I snuggle up against him and look up into his face. "Tell me how _you_ feel, Tris."

"I'm scared," I whisper. I pull a couple of unsteady breaths in. "I wasn't expecting to be told that _I'm_ having a baby, especially now that we're adopting your sister."

"Do you want to stop the adoption?" he softly asks. A fierce fire rages through my veins at his words.

"NO," I say, louder than I intend. "She's mine, too. I already love her so much. How dare you ask me to give her up?" He lets me rage at him then smiles down at me.

"I'm glad to hear you feel that way. I love her, too," he says. Then he adds somberly, "Is there any part of you that's happy at all about this news?" I think about his question for a long time, looking at the carefully guarded expression on his face, before I answer.

I'm pregnant. That in itself is scary as hell to me. There are so many things about being pregnant that I don't know and don't understand. Plus I'm still nervous about being a parent. I don't know if I will be any good at it. Also the idea of childbirth is terrifying on so many levels, and I don't know what to expect. All I know is it will be painful, and I'm not a sadomasochist so I'm not particularly looking forward to that part. It's really not the best time to add yet _another_ person to our family. We just committed to adopting his baby sister who I already love like she's my own. On the other hand. I am pregnant with _Tobias'_ baby. Inside me right now is a little person who is half him and half me. This excites and thrills me beyond words.

"I'm happy," I manage to say, slightly above a whisper, my tears of frustration and confusion turning to those of pure joy. "I'm having _your_ baby, Tobias Eaton." I hold my breath waiting for his reply. A bright smile slowly lifts the side of his lips, and he beams at me.

"Remember when I proposed?" he asks. I think back to that wonderful night sitting on the rocks at the bottom of the chasm where he surprised me with his proposal and nod my head. "I told you I wanted to make love with you and have that love turn into a house full of children. I wasn't kidding. My wish is coming true, Beatrice Grace Prior. Six weeks ago, we shared a wonderful, love-filled morning together and now we have a new little life to show for it." He puts his hand across my abdomen, and I cover it with both of my own. "I'm ecstatic, Tris. You've made me the happiest man in this city, in this world." All remaining fear falls away. He's just as happy as I am. He gently places his lips on mine and is kissing me softly when Isobel comes through the door. She clears her throat, and we look her way.

"I hear congratulations are in order," she says brightly. "Dr. Parrish explained the circumstances. May I ask if this is happy news?"

"Yes, it is," Tobias and I say at the same time, smiling at her. "Very happy news," Tobias adds, beaming. He kisses the top of my head.

"I'm glad to hear you're both happy. Unplanned pregnancies can be difficult on a relationship but I know you two will do just fine. You are the most level-headed teens I've ever seen in all my years at the clinic. I shouldn't even describe you as teens, you are wise beyond your years," she says. "Dr. Parrish said you wanted me to perform your pelvic examination and ultrasound. Is that correct, Tris?"

"Yes, it is, Isobel," I say. She explains to me that since all my test results came back negative, except for the pregnancy test, she can unhook me from the machines I'm tethered to. First she takes the IV out of the back of my hand and the oxygen out of my nose. She takes the clampy little thing off my finger while explaining it monitors the patient's oxygen level. I'd wondered what it was for and why it sounded an alarm when I took it off earlier. She then unhooks me from the heart monitor, and I breathe a sigh of relief. It's kind of frustrating and more than a little bit embarrassing for everyone to see and hear my reactions to a situation before I can comprehend how I'm feeling. She helps me out of bed and takes me to the procedure room just across the hall that she set up for my examination.

First she performs the pelvic examination and, this time, Tobias stays with me, holding my hand throughout the entire procedure, keeping me calm. In the corner of the room is a large, boxy-looking machine that looks like a computer built into a cart. She wheels it over by where I'm lying and turns it on. She then repositions the table so I'm lying in a much more comfortable reclined position. She lifts my hospital gown to expose my flat tummy while keeping my naked bottom half covered with a sheet. She puts an ample amount of cold, clear gel on my stomach and takes the wand that's attached to the side of the ultrasound machine and gently rubs it over my tummy. After a second the thunder of galloping horses fills the room, and I recognize the sound immediately from when I accompanied Christina to the clinic to confirm her pregnancy. That's the sound of the baby's heartbeat ... _my_ baby ... Tobias' and mine. Tears once again stream down my face.

"That's a strong heartbeat. It's measuring 121 beats a minute," Isobel says. Tobias leans over and places a gentle kiss on my lips, and I notice tears in his bright, shining eyes also. He's so happy right now. _I'm _extremely happy right now. I raise my hand to caress his face. He takes it in his and laces our fingers together. She gets the wand in just the right place and points at the black, gray, and white picture on the color monitor.

"Do you see that right there," she says. "That is your baby." It looks different than what Christina's baby looked like but I imagine it's because she was a lot further along than I am. My baby looks like a little peanut ... my little baby peanut.

"Everything with the pregnancy looks good. I will take a couple pictures so you can take them home with you. You are in fact six weeks along exactly and your due date is ... October 9," Isobel says with a warm smile on her face. She puts the machine away and wipes the jelly off my abdomen. "Since Dr. Parrish is your treating physician, I will let him give you your prenatal instructions. He will need to transfer your case to me at the clinic if you would like me to continue your care. Is that something you would be interested in?"

"Yes, very much," I say. "I feel more comfortable with you, Isobel. I love Dr. Parrish but he doesn't specialize in pregnancy, birthing, and women's health like you do."

"That can easily be arranged," she says. "Tell him you are going to continue with your care at the clinic with me, and he will contact us. Once he has sent over your records, we will schedule a follow-up appointment. At your June appointment in the clinic you can find out the sex of the baby if that is something you would be interested in. I'm going to leave you so you can get dressed."

"Um, Isobel," I shyly say. "Do you have a pair of scrubs I can have? I didn't have anything on when Four brought me into the infirmary."

"Of course," she says with a smile. "Once you change, you can go back across the hall into the other room to wait for Dr. Parrish." She brings me a pair of bright orange scrubs, and I immediately shed the hated hospital gown and put them on. Tobias takes me by the hand and leads me to the room I woke up in, and we sit side-by-side on the uncomfortable, lumpy mattress. I peak up at him and find him looking down at me. I smile brightly at him, and he leans down and places his lips to mine. This kiss isn't full of passion or lust. It's full of pure joy, unlike anything I've ever felt before.

"So do you want the peanut to be a boy or a girl?" Tobias asks. I grin. We think so much alike.

"Peanut?" I ask.

"Didn't you think the picture kind of looked like a peanut?" he asks slowly, trying not to offend me I imagine. I wrap my arms tightly around his muscled bicep, hugging him, and then look up at him through my eyelashes.

"Yeah, I noticed that, too, and I think I want Peanut to be a boy," I say. "I would love nothing more than a little _you_ running around."

"So his name is going to be Peanut?" he asks with a silly grin. I nod my head at him and he kisses me again.

"I hope I'm not interrupting you two love birds," Dr. Parrish says with a look of relief on his face. Tobias and I look toward him.

"Not at all, Doc," Tobias says. "We weren't expecting to have our own child so soon, but we're extremely happy about it so please don't beat yourself up about missing the test results. We all were concentrating on making sure Tris survived that night, which was the most important thing. Who knew it would have these unintended side effects."

"Did you just call our little peanut a side effect, _Four_," I ask glaring at him, suddenly irritated. Tobias' eyes grow very wide.

"There is something you need to know about Tris' hormones, Four," Zander says, trying hard not to smile. This seems to really piss me off, too. What the hell is going on? I'm usually not this temperamental. "First, you need to be extremely patient with her. The emotional roller coaster she will experience won't last forever. The first trimester, weeks 1-12 of pregnancy, will be the worse, so your half way through it already. Don't expect the mood swings to disappear altogether after that though, they just won't happen as often. Also mood swings can get pretty bad toward the end when you're both praying for the pregnancy to be over. Second, don't take her outbursts personally or hold them against her. They aren't her fault. If you respond to her with kindness and indulgence, she will be calmer and more grateful and easier to live with." It seems to me the final part of that last sentence wasn't necessary.

"First of all, _I _don't like you two talking about me like I'm not in the room," I say, knowing I'm being unreasonable but I can't seem to stop myself. "And second, is that why I've been secretly plotting Four's murder every time he leaves the toilet seat up." They both look at me with a touch of concern on their faces. "Seriously, I've figured out multiple ways to do it. I would never _actually_ go through with any of the plans but it seems to calm me down when I plot the details. Should I be worried? You both look worried." I see Tobias swallow and sweat beads form on his brow. "I love you, Four. I would never hurt you." He looks at Dr. Parrish with concern on his face.

"It's fine, Four," he says. "Has she been yelling at you a lot?" He slowly shakes his head no, his eyes darting toward mine over and over. I only remember one irrational argument. "It seems to me she doesn't want to fight with you and these fantasies are keeping the peace. Am I right, Tris?"

"Yeah," I say, calm and reason returning to me. "I hate it when I snap at him, especially when he doesn't do anything to deserve it."

"I'm sorry," Tobias says. I can tell he doesn't have a clue as to what he's apologizing for, and I smile at him. He kisses the top of my head.

"Okay, since we have that out of the way. No jumping on and off trains. Jumping on is okay but jumping off can cause a miscarriage. Sex is fine during pregnancy. If it causes bleeding or cramping then it should be stopped immediately until after the baby has been born. Also contact Isobel or myself straightaway if this happens." At the mention of sex, even though I'm already pregnant, Tobias and I both go red in the face, Abnegation as ever. "I recommend a diet full of fruits and vegetables and a minimum of three servings of dairy each day, five or six would be even better. I would like you to limit your intake of red meat. Acetaminophen is safe to take for headaches. If you have any need for any other medications, you can always ask Isobel, myself, or the pharmacist. From week 28 on, you should feel fetal movement on a daily basis. If you don't feel this movement, you need to contact myself or Isobel immediately for instructions. I'm writing you a prescription for prenatal vitamins. I would like you to take one a day. You can take it to the pharmacy and have it filled. There is a strong chance you will experience morning sickness, which can occur at any time of the day. I recommend eating small meals throughout the day so your stomach is never empty, drink plenty of fluids, especially water, to ward off dehydration, and contact myself or Isobel if you are vomiting constantly, cannot keep liquids down, are dizzy when you stand, or you notice infrequent urination. These all are signs of dehydration that require immediate medical attention. Another thing I recommend to all my patients is to stay away from fatty, spicy, acidic, or fried foods, which can all upset your stomach. Do you have any questions for me?" Boy, he gave a lot more instructions than Isobel gave to Christina.

"I'm going to have my prenatal care at the clinic in town," I say. "Isobel said you need to transfer my care to her."

"I'll do that today," he says. "I want you to know, if you ever need anything, and I mean anything, don't hesitate to contact me."

"Thanks, Doc," Tobias says reaching his hand out to Zander who takes it. "We've got to get home so your daughter can get going."

"Anytime," he says. "Four, Tris, congratulations."

"Thanks," we say in unison.

We slowly walk out of the infirmary hand-in-hand and go to the pharmacy to have the prescription filled, then we walk up to our apartment in comfortable silence. We have a lot to talk about but the path in and out of the Pit isn't the place to have the conversation we need to have. When we get home, we find Avery and Tyler sitting on the couch watching the movie _Cars_ he loves so much. I'm glad she's watching it with him. Maybe he won't ask me to watch it again today ... maybe, if I'm lucky! I swear I can recite every line by heart. We let Avery go home after giving her a bonus for staying all night with Tyler and thanking her repeatedly.

"Do you still want to go see your parents today?" Tobias asks after he fixes us a big breakfast and is cleaning up the kitchen. Tyler and I are on the love seat looking through a favorite picture book of his. I forgot all about our plans to go to Abnegation to give Mom and Dad the news about the adoption.

"Yeah, I think I do." I say. "Do think we should give them all our news at once?" I'm suddenly extremely nervous. I wonder how they will react to this news. He's quiet for a while, contemplating my question.

"I think we should. We might as well get everything out in the open and tell them everything at once," he says.

"Tyler, do you want to meet some new people today?" He looks at me with his sparkling light blue gray eyes and eagerly nods his head. Tobias and I both laugh at his innocent exuberance. "Okay then. I'm going to introduce you to my mom and dad."

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><p><strong>I have to give a shout out to Draco-Harry-Lover-1 (I hope I got that right!) who gave me the idea about the death serum rendering the birth control useless enabling Tris to get pregnant. Thank you! <strong>


	6. Chapter 6

I can feel the tension radiating off Tobias after I get Tyler in the car and we head toward the Abnegation sector. Normally I would think it's the fact we're going to one of his least favorite places in the city, a place full of painful childhood memories and a person who he would rather forget, but today I know his anxiety is coming from having to face my parents and tell them not only are we adopting a baby in about two months but that I'm pregnant. I have to admit I'm not looking forward to my dad's reaction, and I'm sure that's exactly what's going through his mind right now. When Dad found out about our engagement, he punched Tobias in the jaw. I'm still baffled by his reaction, it wasn't very Abnegation-like. Actually, it seems like a very Dauntless thing to do, and my dad is almost the exact opposite of Dauntless.

After riding for more than half-an-hour, we are getting close to the Abnegation sector, and I feel the need to give Tyler some rules. I turn in my seat and look at him. He's playing with his fire truck and dump truck we let him bring along. He plays so well by himself and never makes a fuss. He's quite extraordinary.

"Tyler," I say and he looks at me immediately. "I told you we are meeting my mom and dad today, right?" He bobs his little head up and down at me with a grin on his lips. "Their names are Natalie and Andrew. They live in a different faction than Four and I live in called Abnegation." He frowns a little at the word. He's probably heard about the "horrors" of Abnegation from Evelyn who _hates_ the faction she chose then abandoned. "You should be quiet, respectful, and not run in their house, okay."

"Otay," he repeats back at me, eliciting a huge grin from me. He is extremely good at following directions so I'm not worried about him acting like a holy terror and tearing my parents' house apart. I don't have a lot of good things to say about Evelyn but she has done a wonderful job raising him.

Tobias seems to have gotten over the jealousy he displayed when we first met Tyler, which is good. I told Tobias it wasn't Tyler's fault his mother kept Tyler and left him. He understands and agrees with that now, but I can tell it still deeply hurts him. We turn into the very familiar neighborhood and pull up in front of my parent's small light gray house that looks like every other house on the block. Tobias and I turn and look at each other for a moment.

"Here goes nothing," I whisper, reaching up and caressing his face.

"Everything's going to be just fine, Tris," he says confidently, capturing my hand in his. "I'll make sure of it. I'll never let anyone hurt you. Try not to stress too much. Remember what Zander said, you need to stay calm." The mild sedative Zander administered this morning to stop me from hyperventilating is still coursing through my veins so I don't think I'll lose it again. Plus I'm happy about the baby. I realize now I was only freaking out when I didn't know how Tobias felt. Now that I know we feel the exact same way, I can handle anything. I'm just a little nervous about what Mom and Dad will have to say.

"I'll be fine, Tobias," I say right before he plants a quick kiss on my lips. I get out of the car and unbuckle Tyler from his car seat and help him out. He asks politely if he can bring his toy trucks in and, of course, I say yes. There isn't much I don't let him do. The three of us walk up the sidewalk, Tyler in the middle holding Tobias' hand, toward the front door. My parents are expecting us so before we can knock, the door opens. They must have heard the car pull up. Both my parents are on the other side of the door, and they usher us into the house. When they notice Tyler both their eyes widen in surprise. If we hadn't seen each other six short weeks ago and they didn't know better, they would automatically think he was our son. He looks like the perfect blending of me and Tobias.

"Who's this?" my mom asks, recovering her voice first.

"This is my little brother, Tyler," Tobias says proudly, ruffling the toddler's hair. I notice a look of disbelief on both their faces. They know Marcus doesn't have any other children and they don't know about Evelyn.

"Hello, Tyler. I'm sorry for staring. Please let me take your coats, and we'll go into the family room and talk," Mom says. "Lunch won't be ready for some time." I take Tyler's jacket off as well as my own and hand them to my mom who can't keep her eyes off Tyler. Tobias shrugs out of his light leather jacket and gives it to my mom. When she opens the small closet, he turns away from it, color draining from his face. I take his hand and squeeze it. He looks down at me and manages a smile, which I gladly return. I wonder if he'll ever conquer his demons. I could kill Marcus for the hell he put Tobias through.

I take Tyler's hand and lead him into the familiar family room with Tobias close behind me. We all sit down on the couch, Tyler between us. He's being shy since he's unfamiliar with the space and doesn't know my parents. This is exactly how he was when he first came to stay with us in Dauntless. Now he talks to everyone and doesn't cling to us. My mom sits in her chair and my dad in his, and I can tell they have questions on their minds.

"Tyler is Evelyn's son," I say. "He's staying with us for a little while." I'm not quite ready to get into the reason why just yet.

"I remember you saying something about Evelyn when you were under truth serum, Beatrice, and I never got a chance to question you about it," my dad says. "Four, I thought your mother passed away."

"Honestly, Andrew, I thought the exact same thing until almost two years ago when she contacted me," Tobias says. "Marcus lied to me, and all of Abnegation for that matter, when he said she died in childbirth. She chose to leave us and Abnegation and became factionless to get away from Marcus, and she gave the baby up for adoption." My parents look stunned. They obviously didn't know about Marcus' deception.

"I guess after what we've learned about Marcus we shouldn't be that surprised," Dad says. "Why is it you two have your brother, Four?" We both look at each other. I didn't think we were going to get into this subject right away but I guess I was wrong. Tobias picks up Tyler and whispers something in his ear and Tyler gets off the couch and sits at our feet, playing with his trucks. I scoot closer to Tobias, and he takes my trembling hand in his.

"We have some news for you," I say, "and we wanted to tell you in a more appropriate manner than we told you about our engagement. We're still very sorry about that." My parents exchange a look I'm unfamiliar with.

"This all started when I took Tris to meet Evelyn," Tobias says. Immediately the expression on my dad's face changes. "There's no easy way to tell you what happened, so I'm just going to come out and say it. My mom is pregnant again. Since she's factionless, she doesn't think she can handle raising another child and after giving up my other sister for adoption years ago, she can't handle the thought of not knowing where another child is. Her intention when she asked me to meet her was to request that I adopt my baby sister and raise her as my own. She obviously didn't know about my relationship with Tris. After several lengthy discussions, a lot of thinking, and a very long night talking about our fears and our concerns, Tris and I _together_ decided to go through with the adoption."

"Six weeks ago we got a phone call from the hospital in town," I say, continuing the story. "Evelyn was admitted to the hospital with dangerous complications, something the doctors called severe preeclampsia. She's still in the hospital and will be for some time. We were given temporary custody of Tyler until she can have the baby and get out of the hospital." Hearing his name, Tyler looks up at me, smiles, and gives me a little wave. I wave back at him.

"I know a little about adoption laws in our city because of my role on the council," my dad sternly says. "So let me see if I'm getting this right. You're getting married, at a very young age I might add, so you can adopt Four's mother's baby. Is this correct?"

"No," I gruffly say, shaking my head at him. "The adoption is not the only reason why we're getting married. It isn't even the _main_ reason why we're doing it. We are getting married because we love each other and neither one of us can picture what our life would be like without the other. I thought you accepted the fact we are getting married?" My hormones take a drastic left-hand turn and tears flood my eyes. Tobias takes note and puts his arm around me, pulls me close, and rubs his hand gently up and down my arm.

"We do accept your decision to get married," my mom says. "But if we are being totally honest, we don't agree with your choice. I know this seems to go against what I said when I found out but your father and I have been talking about this a lot. You are both so young, and I know you are in love with each other but it makes a little bit more sense why you are rushing into this because of your announcement. Your father thought you got engaged because you were pregnant." Irritation creeps up on me, erasing the tears. Why would he automatically think that? I feel Tobias' eyes on me, and I look at him. We stare at each other for a moment. I swear I can hear him thinking I need to just tell them our other news now.

"Actually ... I am pregnant," I say looking only at Mom. I'm not ready for Dad's reaction just yet. Her eyes widen dramatically, and she drags a sharp breath in through her slack jaw. I wonder if she thinks I lied to her in December when I told her we were being careful and protecting ourselves. "We just found out this morning. I would like to tell you how it happened." She looks at me incredulously, and I spring up off the couch. "That's not what I meant and you know it." I take a long, cleansing breath, trying to calm my runaway emotions. I don't have time for them right now. I look down at Tyler and see he's playing with his trucks like he's the only one in the room, not letting my outburst bother him then look at my parents. "You both already know I was given truth serum while we were at Candor for the interrogations and was able to lie. You were there." They both tightly nod their heads at me. "I've also been 100% aware under any simulation I've ever been under." I turn my head and look toward Tyler again and his innocence motivates me to continue my story.

"The night of the masquerade ball, Cameron Wright dressed in an outfit identical to Four's and gave me a glass of sparkling cider. I drank it before I realized it came from Cameron and not Four. It was irresponsible of me not to check who it was that handed me the drink. He wasn't lying or mistaken in his interrogation when he said he gave me death serum," I say. "He really thought he had killed me."

"Oh ... my ... God," my dad slowly says, shock and fear clear on his face. Tears fill my mom's eyes but she doesn't say anything.

"I was able to fight off its effects and make a full recovery," I say. I turn toward the fireplace and think about this morning. "I've been exhausted for the past few weeks, and this morning, I passed out while Four was in the shower. He immediately rushed me down to the infirmary to have Dr. Parrish examine me. I hate to admit it but I honestly thought the death serum was lingering in my system, taking its time slowly killing me." I turn back around and face my family. "I told Dr. Parrish what my symptoms were. Unbeknownst to me, he ordered a pregnancy test, and it came back positive. I didn't believe it at first. This isn't easy to admit to both of you, but I went to the clinic in town months ago and had the birth control shot. I was doing the responsible thing but the death serum erased our birth control's protection. We didn't know. Dr. Parrish didn't catch it. I'm six weeks pregnant. I'm due on October 9." There's a mixture of disappointment and happiness in my mom's eyes. My dad is glaring at Tobias.

"You know this isn't Four's fault right, Dad," I say. He drags his hard eyes to mine and they soften only marginally.

"I would love nothing more than to kick _Tobias_ out of my house right now and lock you, young lady, upstairs away from him for the rest of your life but I know that is unrealistic. You would both fight to your last breaths to get back to one another," Dad says, exhaling dramatically. "I don't think I would be a good father if I were to just pat you both on the shoulder and say congratulations though. I need to try and make you both see what it is you are doing to your young lives. I know you both think what you have is true love, and when I look at the two of you, I often think that is the case. But what if it is just a passing fancy? Beatrice, what if you meet someone else a year or two from now and realize _he_ is the love of your life and you're already tied down with two _or_ _more_ kids. Four, what if a girl jumps into the net on the next Choosing Day who catches your eye and you are already married with a baby and one on the way. Would you leave my daughter heartbroken and the mother of two at 17 years old?

"If you two won't think about what you are doing to each other, think about the innocent lives you are bringing into the world and will be responsible for for the rest of your lives. They deserve two parents who love each other more than anything and are 100% committed to one another. Can you say, right now, without a doubt that there will never be someone else or there will never come a time when you think twice about each other? If you have even an ounce of doubt, you need to think twice about your plans."

"How could you ask us that?" I say, indignant. "Dad, I appreciate your concern but I will _never_ love anyone but Tobias. I have _zero_ doubt about that. I also have zero doubt that _he_ feels the exact same way about me."

"I know you're angry with me right now for getting her pregnant, Andrew," Tobias says, "but don't ever think there will be anyone for me except for Beatrice. After I helped her out of the net on Choosing Day I knew my life had changed forever. _She_ has changed me. Before I met her, I didn't think I was capable of love and that I wasn't worthy of receiving it. Why would I throw away everything we have built for something ... insignificant? I _never_ would, and to be honest, I'm insulted you think so lowly of me that you think I would be so easily persuaded by some pretty face. No one has ever turned my head but Tris. I am head over heels in love with your daughter. I have been for almost as long as I've known her. I love everything about her ... her spirit, her mind, her feistiness, her drive, her capacity to love, her honesty, her beauty inside and out. But what I love most about her is that I get to be me ... _Tobias_ when I'm with her. And for some odd reason, which I cannot fathom, she loves me just as much as I love her. I will _never_ do anything to jeopardize our family. I love her dearly, and I will love our children just as much. There is nothing else I can say to convince you."

"Dad, I love him. I'm going to marry him. I'm going to adopt his sister, who I already love just as much as I love him, and I'm going to have his baby. I know this isn't the life you would have chosen for me but lucky for me and Tobias this is the life _we_ choose to live," I say with a sigh. "I want you to be happy for us but if you're not, if you can't accept our decisions, I understand and this will be the last you will see of us on a personal level. I don't want this to sound like an ultimatum because it's not but I have to do what's best for me and my family just like you think what you just said is best for your family. I will not allow my children to be around anyone who thinks their father would abandon them the way he was abandoned as a child. You never thought of that during your speech, did you?" The room is silent except for the little truck sounds Tyler is making.

"Beatrice," my mom finally says. Tobias and I both look her way. "I agree with everything your father just said. I really do. I'm your mother, I love you so very much, and I worry about you each and every day. You are _so_ young ... but I also know you are bullheaded enough to know what you want and strong enough to make it work. I have no doubts about that. This is the last time you will hear anything about this subject from your father or me. I can't stand the thought of not seeing you anymore and not knowing my grandchildren." I look at Dad. He has a resigned look on his face. I imagine they've talked about this subject quite a lot before we confirmed their suspicions.

"Thank you," I say. "Please tell me you are at least a little bit happy for us."

"Of course we are," my mom says. "How can we not? We're going to be grandparents. That is very exciting news." I study my mom's face, and I find no deception in her kind eyes and warm smile. I look toward my dad.

"I am happy for you, too, Beatrice," he says with a contented smile on his face. I see no deception in his face either. "You know what you want out of your life and you're already living your dream. Not many couples twice your age can say that, so yes, I am happy for you. Please don't think that my warnings were anything but me showing concern and love for you. I'm happy for you also, Four. You are a good man. I know that. I harbor no ill will or bad feelings for you. You deserve to be happy. I know you will be a good husband and a good father and will take care of Beatrice and the children. And I am sorry for implying you might leave them one day. I know enough of your background to know that will never happen." I look at Tobias with happy tears in my eyes and can't help but give him a little kiss right here in front of my parents. Then I get up and give each of them a big hug. Soon the aroma of chicken, vegetables, and homemade bread are wafting throughout the house. This catches everyone's attention, especially Tyler's.

"Hungy, Twis," he says to me. I hold my arms out to him, and he climbs up into them and snuggles into me.

"Lunch is almost ready, Tyler," I say, holding him close to me.

"It amazes me how much he looks like the two of you," my mom says. "Seeing him was shocking to say the least."

"Tris and I have commented on that," Tobias says, smiling at the boy who is snuggled against my chest. "More than likely any child of ours will look something like Tyler here."

"What about his father?" my dad says hesitantly. "Where is he at?"

"Here in Abnegation apparently," Tobias says. "We still don't know who he is."

"Evelyn has promised a meeting but he isn't cooperating very well," I say. I look at Tobias and he shrugs knowing what I want to add. "He's married." My mom gasps then stares intently at Tyler.

"What is it, Mom?" I ask. She sits in her chair shaking her head for a long time then abruptly gets up and heads into the kitchen. We all look at one another, confusion crossing every face. Dad goes to get up from his worn recliner but I stop him.

"I'll check on her if that's okay," I say and he nods. Tobias takes Tyler out of my arms, and I get up off the couch and follow Mom into the kitchen. She must have heard me say I was following her.

"I think I know who Tyler's father is, Beatrice," my mom says never once taking her eyes off our supper, which she just took out of the oven. "You know him."


	7. Chapter 7

"What do you mean you think you know who Tyler's father is and that I know him?" I ask my mom. She is concentrating on the large blue and gray specked roasting pan she just took out of the oven and refuses to turn and look at me. "Mom!" She finally puts down the large carving knife and fork set and turns my way. She leans up against the counter. I see conflict in her pale green eyes.

"I shouldn't speculate, Beatrice," she quietly says. "That would be incredibly selfish of me. What if I'm wrong? Just speaking his name could destroy a very happy marriage ... from what I've seen over the past 10 years." I look over my shoulder and note we are still alone.

"You know about her affair, don't you?" I whisper. The look on her face tells me she knows exactly what I'm talking about. "You do. Just so you know, Evelyn told Four and me that the same man is all three children's father. Do you know who it is? Can you help us? Without him, the adoption can't go through." She is silent for a long time.

"I was at a council meeting dinner with your father at a neighbor's house when I walked in on them having sex in the upstairs bathroom about a year before Evelyn died ... um, left. I've never been as mortified in my life as I was in that moment," my mom says, blushing slightly. "She was with Ethan Black." _Mr_. _Black_ ... Susan and Robert's father? Yes ... I can see why my mom would think he could be Tyler's father. They have similar colored eyes, and Tyler also has wavy hair just like his, although Mr. Black has dark blonde hair similar to Robert and Susan's color. "Shortly after Evelyn passed away, Ethan came to me and begged me never to say anything about what I walked in on. I didn't want to be selfish and disrupt his marriage, especially with her gone, so I never said a word to Ellie about what I witnessed. Now I'm not sure if that was the right thing to do."

I find it so hard to believe I lived in a neighborhood for 16 years full of such scandal, and I never knew anything about it. Even though Abnegation members are supposed to be selfless, I guess others have as hard of a time with it as I did. I shouldn't judge though. Evelyn's home life was hell, but what I can remember of Robert and Susan's parents, they seemed genuinely happy. Marcus knew how to fool people. I wonder if Ethan is the same way. No ... he can't be. There is no way that Evelyn would have an affair for one minute let alone more than 10 years with a man who is anything at all like Marcus Eaton.

"I don't know what to do with this information, Mom," I say with a sigh. "If he is in fact the baby's father, Four and I need him to sign his parental rights away so there's absolutely no possibility of the baby being taken away from us but if he's not, I would hate to knock on his door and accuse him. No, I couldn't do that." Mom turns her attention back to lunch and, after some pleading, she relents and lets me help her. I get the plates, silverware, and napkins out for each of us and routinely set the table remembering the thousands of times I did the exact same thing while growing up in this house.

"Four mentioned fears," Mom softly says. "Is that your fear, someone will take the child away from you?"

"Yes," I say. "I didn't even know I had that fear before I went into my fear landscape. It was agonizing having to hand my little girl back to Evelyn and the faceless father after I had been her mother for more than six months. I've had horrible nightmares about it ever since." I don't know why I'm sharing this extremely private information with my mom. I have a hard time thinking about what happened in my fear landscape let alone talking about it.

"I think every parent has a little of that fear instilled in them," Mom says. "I was scared to death that something bad would happen to you or Caleb for months after each of you were born. I can't tell you where the fear came from, and I don't know if I just learned to live with it or if it in fact went away but it got better with time. Being a mother isn't easy, Beatrice." I meet her eyes and give her a hard look.

"You promised you weren't going to try to talk us out of anything anymore," I say.

"I'm not," she says, much more pleasantly than I deserve.

"I'm sorry," I say, regretting my tone.

"I'm just telling you the truth. Raising you and your brother is the hardest thing I ever did in my entire life but it's also the most rewarding," she says gliding her hand down my cheek. "I love you and Caleb, along with your father, more than anything else on this planet."

"I've gotten a small taste of motherhood having Tyler these past few weeks," I say. My mom narrows her eyes at me.

"You love him like he's yours," she says. There's no question in her statement. She knows me so well. "Try not to get too attached to him."

"I know," I say. "I've been trying not to but ... it's _so_ hard. He is just so easy to love." I hear his little feet running our way, and I turn just as he launches himself at me. I easily catch him and pull him close. "Tyler, remember what I said about running in Andrew and Natalie's house." He sticks out his bottom lip and pouts. My mom chuckles under her breath, being careful not to undermine my authority with him.

"I sowwy, Twis," Tyler says, then he gives me a big hug.

"You used to make that exact face when I would scold you for running in the house," Mom says with a grin. I return her warm smile.

"Are you hungry, Tyler," I say, releasing him from the hug. He eagerly bobs his head up and down. "Will you slowly go and get Four and Andrew and tell them lunch is ready." I put him down, and he carefully walks toward the living room. I decide to follow behind him to make sure he delivers the message and that it's comprehensible.

"Fo, lunch weady," he says to his older brother. Tobias looks my direction and I nod.

"Thank you, Tyler," he says. He then scoops the giggling boy up in his arms and carries him into the kitchen. Tobias gives me a quick kiss on his way by and stands off to the side while Mom and I bring the serving bowls and platters to the table. My parents take their normal seats at the table and Tobias sits Tyler on Caleb's old booster seat right next to him, and I sit down on the other side of him across from my mother. My father says grace like he does at every meal then picks up each bowl, serves himself, then passes the food to the left for others to serve themselves just like every day for the past 20 years. The meal and routine are comforting and reminds me of growing up in this loving home. There isn't anything I don't like about it. We slowly eat, savoring the delicious, comforting home cooked meal, chatting about this and that, catching up with one another. I wish we could do this more often. I tend to forget how much I miss my parents until I'm with them.

"I'm sorry, but we're going to have to leave pretty soon," I say to Mom and Dad while we're all in the kitchen cleaning up after the scrumptious, familiar lunch. "Tyler is going to want a nap pretty soon, and I find it easier to get him to sleep in his own bed." My father puts the dishes he's holding in the cupboard then turns to me.

"You already are a mother, aren't you, Beatrice?" he says. My heart constricts at his words. I so want to keep the little boy who is quietly sitting in the corner of the cozy kitchen playing with his fire truck and dump truck.

"It feels like I am," is all I can say. I plunge my hands into the hot dish water and let the routine action move my mind to another subject. I continue with the dishes, meticulously scrubbing away any leftover particles of food until the simple kitchenware my parents have had as long as I can remember is spotless. I feel Tobias' eyes on me, and I glance up at him. I see worry in his dark blue eyes. I've never told him I would love to keep Tyler but something tells me he knows what I'm thinking.

Once we finish in the kitchen, my mom goes to the small coat closet in the corner of the hallway by the front door and takes out each of our coats. Tobias puts his spring leather jacket on while I'm helping Tyler into his then he holds mine out, and I slide into it. I give a long lingering hug to my mom then kiss her cheek. I give my dad a quick hug and kiss while Tobias kisses my mom's cheek then he shakes my dad's hand. Tyler wants in on the goodbyes and gives each of my parents a hug as well as a sloppy kiss on the cheek. They seem to be just as taken with him as everyone we've introduced him to. He is a very special child.

We walk out into the chilly February afternoon, the wind billowing around us causing the remnants of last fall's dead leaves to swirl dramatically around our feet. We aren't 10 steps out of my parent's house when I notice the familiar form casually leaning up against the body of our sleek, black car. Automatically my spirits fall and my heart starts pounding in my chest. This is the first time I've seen him since our altercation in my father's office, which led to his warranted dismissal from the council.

"Marcus," Tobias says, no inflection in his voice at all. "What are you doing here?" I know he would rather scale the outside of the 100-story Hancock building then go ziplining without being buckled into the safety harness than be here right now talking to the man who treated him so abysmally growing up.

"Tobias, it's nice to see you," Marcus says, oozing fake charm. What is he up to now? "When I saw this car, I figured you must be visiting my old friends, the Priors. I hope everything is okay. I thought I would wait for you and see if we could talk." I narrow my eyes at him but he doesn't look my way. I decide to heed Tobias' warnings for once and let him take care of this unwanted situation with his father, so I let my face smooth out.

"Tris and I really have to be going. We need to get Tyler home for his nap." When Marcus examines the small boy who has himself wrapped tightly around my left leg, his eyes nearly pop out of his head. He looks from Tobias to me and back to Tyler. He obviously sees the strong family resemblance. "Wondering who this is? Why don't you ask _Evelyn_?" At the mention of his supposedly dead wife, Marcus pales dramatically. "I know she's alive. I know she left us. I know the baby didn't die, she gave her up for adoption. Why didn't you just tell me the truth? Why did you have to tell me she died? You let me mourn for years someone who is still alive. I thought the beatings I suffered at your hands for all those years were the worst thing you could ever have put me through but they were nothing compared to the betrayal of finding out you lied. I shouldn't be surprised though. It isn't much of a stretch to think that anyone who would treat their family the way you treated yours, would tell a bold faced lie just to gain sympathy from those around them. Like I said, Tris and I have to be going." Tobias takes my hand and leads me down the walkway. I reach down and take Tyler's hand in mine, and we all move down the sidewalk toward our car. I for one am hoping that Marcus will just go home but he doesn't budge. When I look his direction, Marcus has finally moved his eyes to meet mine, and I see a burning hatred radiating directly toward me. I hold my head up high, don't shrink back, and try not to show any emotion whatsoever. He doesn't deserve my reaction. Hell, he doesn't even deserve my thoughts. For some reason, he blames _me_ for all his problems and, remarkably, he also blames me for how Tobias feels about him.

"Don't you dare look at her like that," Tobias says in a deceptively calm voice.

"Why shouldn't I," Marcus says, raising his voice. He pushes himself away from the car and stares, pointing directly at me. "You took away my one and only son. One day, I'm going to make you pay. You won't see it coming but you will know I'm responsible. Remember that." He thankfully tears his eyes away from mine and looks at Tobias. "You had a chance today to reconcile with me but you chose _her_. Anything that happens to this little ... whore is on your head." My father storms down the sidewalk but Tobias reaches out and stops him.

"He isn't worth it, Andrew," Tobias says, stopping him. "Marcus, I would appreciate it if you would stop calling the woman I love vile names. You don't know her, and you are so off base. Why would you think she took me away from you? Even though we grew up houses apart, it took us both leaving Abnegation to find each other. She has nothing to do with why I don't love you. Also, if you as much as touch one hair on Tris' head, I _will_ kill you. There isn't a person who could stop or would stop me, and I won't hesitate and I won't feel a thing except maybe justice. _You_ best remember that." His father shakes his head at him then stalks off in the direction of his house. I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and pick Tyler up so I have something comforting in my arms. Even though he is entirely too young to understand the exchange that he just witnessed, he can feel the tension. He clings to me, comforting me, and I hold him just as tight. We turn to my parents.

"I am so sorry about my father, Andrew and Natalie, and the terrible things he says. I'm sorry I made a scene. I really wish you didn't have to witness that. I wish he didn't garner such a reaction from me but he always seems to," Tobias quietly says. "Tris, Tyler, and I had a very nice time this afternoon but we really do have to get back to Dauntless."

"We hope to be able to stop by again before the wedding," I say. "April 6. It's a Wednesday. Don't forget. Christina and I will be making the final plans this week so expect an invitation in the next week or so. I love you."

"It isn't your fault about that man," my mom says, putting her hand on Tobias' shoulder. "You don't ever need to apologize for _his_ behavior. Hopefully, one day, he will do that for himself but I won't hold my breath. You take care of yourself and you take care of my girl. Beatrice, honey, we love you very much. We love you, too, Four. It was very nice to meet you Tyler. I hope we get to see each other again soon."

After another round of hugs and kisses, we all turn and walk to our car. I manage to get Tyler into his car seat then get into the passenger seat and buckle up. We all wave to my parents, who are standing side-by-side in the doorway of their comfortable home waving as the car pulls away from the curb. Before I know it, we are heading out of the Abnegation sector.

"I am _so_ sorry for how my father treats you, Tris," Tobias nearly inaudibly says. "You don't deserve it. I don't know why he insists on blaming you for everything that goes wrong in his life."

"I'm the one who's sorry," I say but he quickly cuts me off. I let out a loud sigh.

"_None_ of this is your fault," he stubbornly says. "It's his. 100%. He shouldn't blame you, and _I _never should have blamed you either. I was wrong."

"You didn't blame me, Tobias, you warned me about him and I didn't listen. I understand now why you did it and why you got angry when I didn't listen," I say. "I egged him on until he apparently lost his grip on reality. It _is_ partially my fault. I didn't know when to stop and now he wants revenge against me." It's a good thing my hormones were in check when Marcus turned his verbal assault my way today or I might have scratched his eyes out or broke down in tears. It's a tossup how I react to a situation these days.

I stare absent-mindedly out the tinted window of the car as Tobias tries to argue with me but I just shut him out and think about how I could have made the situation better today. I could have encouraged him to take the time to talk to his father. I know how Tobias feels about Marcus but I can't help but wonder if there will ever come a day when they can be in the same room with each other without another full-fledged war starting. We come around a bend in the road, and I see a very familiar-looking older gentleman dressed in Abnegation gray on the side of the road standing next to a stalled light gray sedan.

"That's Ethan Black," I say, not believing my eyes. "Please pull over." Tobias gives me a suspicious look but pulls over to the side of the road behind the stalled car. I turn around and see that Tyler has already fallen asleep even though we've only been in the car for about three minutes so I think it's safe to leave him. Tobias and I get out of our car and approach Mr. Black, who is bending over the engine. I make sure Tyler and his car seat is within my line of sight at all times.

"I was wondering if you two would stop," Mr. Black says as we approach, taking us both by surprise. "I didn't know how else to approach you, especially here in Abnegation. I need to talk to you about the baby."

* * *

><p><strong>AN: It amazed me how many people thought Tyler's father was going to be Andrew. Although that did enter my mind for a fraction of a second, I just couldn't bring myself to go there! **


	8. Chapter 8

I feel Tobias stiffen beside me, and he once again gives me a suspicious look. I realize I never got the chance to tell him about my mother's suspicions and revelations in the kitchen before lunch earlier today. So Ethan Black, my friends Susan and Robert's married father, is in fact the biological father of the baby I am about to adopt with Tobias. That means he's Tyler's father as well. My mom was right. Although their hair color doesn't match at all, I notice Mr. Black's curls match Tyler's perfectly.

"You're the baby's father," Tobias says, once again sounding more like Four, putting the pieces of the puzzle together.

"Yes, I am," Mr. Black quietly says, straightening himself up from the engine. I hadn't exaggerated his eye color in my memory. They match Tyler's exactly. "I love your mother very much, Tobias. I'm sorry she's going through what she is because of me."

"_Four_," Tobias says with a scowl on his beautiful face. "My name is Four."

"I'm sorry ... Four," he says. "Your mother and father have always called you Tobias. I'm afraid I didn't know you went by a new name. My sincere apologies." I can see anger quickly spreading through Tobias. He slowly balls his hands up into fists. I decide to intervene.

"Mr. Black, we need you to sign some paperwork with regard to the adoption as soon as you can," I say, cutting to the chase. "It's of the utmost importance."

"Evelyn told me about the documents you need me to sign," he says. "I'm okay with that. I'll sign anything you want me to. I'm very sorry I haven't been able to get in touch with you before now. I didn't have any business outside of Abnegation, and I've only been able to sneak off to the hospital twice to see Evelyn. When I saw you two pull up outside your parent's home, Beatrice, I thought this was my chance to speak with you."

"If you love my mother as much as you claim to, why are you not taking responsibility for these children you've created with her?" Tobias says spitefully. "Don't you care for them at all, especially Tyler? You let him live factionless. I could never do that to my son."

"Even though I love Evelyn with all my heart, and I do, my wife would never understand," Mr. Black says, holding his head high. I can tell that he doesn't like being criticized. "You may not believe this, Four, but I love Ellie, too. I would never want to do anything to jeopardize my relationship with her, jeopardize my family, or jeopardize my home." I think I've just met the most selfish person in Abnegation if not the planet. He wants his cake and he wants to eat it too.

"We don't have the documents with us," I say, trying to steer the conversation back to its intended purpose, the baby. "Four and I go to the hospital almost every day to see Evelyn and check on the baby's condition. Pick a day and time, and we'll be there." He thinks about this proposal for a little bit, his eyes nervously scanning our surroundings. I look around but there isn't anyone around to witness this meeting, except for the three, well four of us, if you count Tyler. I check and see he's still fast asleep in the car.

"I have business in town on Wednesday. I could meet you in Evelyn's room at ... 4:00 p.m. Is that okay?" I look into Tobias' hard eyes and they soften dramatically. He takes a deep breath before turning his attention back to Mr. Black.

"Yes, Mr. Black," he says. "That would be great. Tris and I will be there at 4:00 p.m. but we won't be able to stay long. We have some business back at the compound at 5:30 p.m." _Business? What business,_ I think to myself. I almost ask the question out loud when I realize that's what time one of us leaves the Pire and goes to the Pit to pick up Tyler from daycare on work days since they close their doors at 6:00 p.m.

"Very well," Mr. Black says, respectfully bowing his head in our direction. Then he slams the hood of his car down.

"I take it you're not really having car trouble?" I say.

"I was hoping it would get you to stop," he says.

"It wouldn't have if Tris hadn't told me to stop," Tobias says.

"I had a conversation with my mom earlier today," I say, looking directly into Mr. Black's light bluish-gray eyes, which eerily look like mine. "She wishes now she wouldn't have kept your secret for all these years. That's how I knew to stop or I wouldn't have paid any attention either, and we would have driven right past you." He goes very pale. He knows exactly what I'm talking about. I can tell by Tobias' heated gaze that he's very much interested in my conversation with my mom.

"Wednesday, 4:00 p.m., Evelyn's hospital room," Tobias says before he puts his hand on the small of my back and gently leads me back to our car. I note that Tyler is still sound asleep and relief washes over me before I get in my side of the car. I close my door as quietly as I can but Tobias slams his in frustration and irritation. It doesn't bother Tyler but I give him a frown, and he mouths "sorry" to me. When we pull away from the curb I can feel his eyes on me.

"When I said that the baby's father was still living in Abnegation and was married Mom looked closely at Tyler and saw Ethan Black," I say, unable to meet his gaze. "Apparently, she walked in on the two of them ... in a _very_ compromising position at a business dinner in the neighborhood. After your mother's ... funeral ... he came to my mom and begged her never to say anything to Ellie. She did as he asked because she thought your mom was gone but now she regrets agreeing to it. I swear I've never seen a more selfish man than him in my entire life." I turn to look up at him, and he gives me a little smile.

"I can't help but agree with you on that," he says with a sigh. "I'll feel better after Wednesday has come and gone and we have his signature on the forms. How about you?"

"It will take a lot of stress off me," I say.

"Yeah, you don't need extra stress right now," he says reaching out and taking my hand in his. "I have to ask you something." I look into his eyes, expectation on my face.

"What is going on in that pretty head of yours about Tyler," he says, looking at the sleeping boy in the rearview mirror. I bow my head in shame then look out my passenger window. "Tris?"

"I don't want to give him back to Evelyn," I finally say out loud to him. Guilt tightens my chest. I know what I'm saying is awful. He is quiet for a very long time.

"I don't either," he finally says. My head snaps in his direction, and I study his face. He is being completely serious right now.

"That just makes it worse, Tobias," I say. He looks into my eyes. "We have to give him back. I know that. But I have a feeling I'm going to live my worse fear when we do. I don't know how I'm going to be able to function. I know I'll have the baby to look after but she can't replace him." My words trail off. He reaches out and takes my hand in his. We lace our fingers together.

"I'm sorry. Maybe we shouldn't have brought him into our home," he says.

"There is _no_ way that we could have foreseen feeling for him the way we do," I say. "At first he was just your little brother but somewhere along the way ... he started feeling like my son."

"I know. I've had the same thoughts and the same feelings." He brings our joined hands up to his lips. He kisses me gently. "We'll get through it when the time comes. I promise. Should we tell our friends about the baby?" Tobias asks after we have both been silent for a long time. I look into his eyes, which are bright and shining now and can see the news about our baby has made him extremely happy. I want to do anything in my power to please him but something I read once comes back to me.

"I think it's a little soon," I say. "Don't you? Maybe we should wait until I'm 12 weeks along. When I thumbed through the pamphlet Isobel gave Christina when she found out she was pregnant I think it said it was best to wait until the end of the first trimester to tell people."

"Okay, I understand. That sounds good to me," he says. "What do you think of telling them our news at the wedding or wedding rehearsal?"

"I would be okay with telling everyone at the wedding rehearsal," I say. "Actually that sounds like a great time to do it. I might have to tell Christina a little early because she's been working on me to do a champagne toast at the wedding reception. I keep telling her that no one will know if I'm drinking sparkling cider except for me but she keeps insisting. Now I really can't drink."

"Do you want me to talk to her," he says in his scary Four voice, which makes me giggle a little. He is so protective of me.

"No, _Four_," I say with a chuckle. He slightly narrows his beautiful eyes at me but I just smile brightly at him. I know he doesn't really like me calling him Four unless it is absolutely necessary. I lean over and lightly brush my lips against his and his frown disappears. "Now watch the road please, Tobias. You have a lot of precious cargo in this car." He laughs that belly laugh I love so much.

"Speaking of names, now that we know who the baby's father is and he's going to sign away his parental rights, can we start thinking about names for our daughter?" I meet his radiant smile with one of my own. This is the one argument, well except for the toilet seat nonsense, we've had the past six weeks. He wanted to decide on a name, and I didn't want to name her if there was any possibility of the adoption not going through. I nod my head a little at him.

"I will consider a conversation about baby names," I say. "What kind of names do you like? Traditional names like Rebecca, Abigail, or Sarah; popular names like Sophia, Emma, or Olivia; or unusual names like Rhian, Zola, or Greer. Do you have any ideas?" He stares open mouth at me. I furrow my eyes in confusion at him. Why is he looking at me like that?

"You've been thinking about this for a while haven't you?" he says, a tinge of hurt in his voice. "And you gave me so much shit about wanting to pick a name."

"Don't be mad but it's kind of hard to know there's a baby's on the way and _not_ think of names every once in a while," I say to him, giving him my best pout. He sighs.

"I'm not angry. Not one bit," he says with a little chuckle. "I know it may seem odd but I like traditional names and the more unusual names. I mean look at me, I go by Four." That makes me smile. "I don't want our kids to have similar names to any of the other kids in their initiation classes. Make sense?"

"Yeah," I say. "I agree by the way. No popular names."

"I have an idea, just tell me what you think," he says hesitantly. "Your name is Tris. My name is Tobias. What if we picked a name that started with a T?"

"One problem though," I say. "My name is Beatrice. My parents and brother call me that. _You_ call me that sometimes. And you just said it yourself, you go by Four in public." I think back to the many times when Beatrice Grace rolled off his lips, and I can't help but smile. I wouldn't want that to stop. He furrows his eyebrows. I know he is thinking really hard about something.

"Okay, I see two solutions," he says, pulling into the underground garage that houses the various cars owned by Dauntless. He shuts off the engine and looks at me with now smoldering eyes. "The first is all boy names would start with a T and all girl names would start with a B, _or_ we could pick out our favorite names that start with both B and T and whichever one we decide on will dictate future children's names."

"Let me get this straight, if we pick a T name for our daughter then all future children, including this one," I say rubbing my tummy, "will have T names? And if for some weird reason we name our first daughter, let's say, Beatrice Jr. then future daughters would start with the letter B and any boys would start with the letter T. Am I getting this right?" I ask, turning in my seat to run my hand down his chest.

"I'm all for a little Beatrice running around if that's the direction you want to go," he says leaning his body toward mine after taking his seatbelt off. "And four of our five boys can all be named after me. Tobias Jr, Tobias II, Tobias ..." He puts his smiling lips on mine effectively ending the conversation and pulls me in close for a heated kiss. He eagerly pushes his tongue into my waiting mouth when I hear a little giggle. I break away from Tobias, and we both turn toward the sound of the laughter.

"Ew, kissy," Tyler says with a huge grin.

"You think it's gross when Four gives me a kiss?" I say in a sing-song voice. "How about when I give _you_ kisses?" I lean into the backseat and put kisses all over the toddlers face. He's thrashing his head back and forth but not hard enough to hurt me. I retreat back into my seat, and he's laughing like a crazy little person. I can feel Tobias' silent laughter beside me shaking the parked car.

"I think it's time for supper," Tobias says when he finds his voice. "How about we go to the cafeteria and see our friends?"

"Ooh! What do you think, Tyler?" I say. "You want to go to the cafeteria and see all our friends? I'm game, that way I don't have to clean up the kitchen tonight."

"Zeke? Wiah? Lynn? Chwissy?" he asks with a hopeful expression on his face.

"Yeah, and all our other friends, too. Everyone will be there." He nods his head up and down and starts bouncing up and down wanting out. I tell him to calm down then get out of the car so I can free him from his car seat. He climbs out, over the seat, and practically scales me so that I'm holding him in my arms. We are about half way to the cafeteria when fatigue starts to drag me down, and I try to hand Tyler off to Tobias. He doesn't want to let me go until Tobias offers a ride on his shoulders. Now Tyler doesn't care if I come with them or not to supper! I can only laugh at the little stinker.

"You okay?" Tobias quietly asks as we continue toward the cafeteria. I reach out and touch his hand, which is securely holding on to Tyler's foot.

"Just tired," I say. "You know, I'm thankful I know the cause for the fatigue. My imagination was starting to run away with me."

"I for one am glad nothing's wrong with you," he says. I bump my hip into his leg and he laughs lightheartedly. We turn into the cafeteria and Tobias puts Tyler on the ground. Immediately he takes off like a bullet for our regular table, leaving Tobias and me behind. We hear choruses of hellos welcome him before we get half way across the room. Tobias and I smile at each other.

"Uriah, so help me," I say, "if you give him cake before he's had supper I'm going to beat your ... butt." The whole table erupts with laughter. Luckily I remember my language before Tyler can go around all night telling everyone he's going to beat their ass. He's done it before. I'm sure he'll do it again. He's such a little magpie.

"Come on, Tris," Uriah says. "Let the kid live a little."

"Uriah," Tobias says.

"Fine," he says. Ugh! Not even my friends take me seriously. I'm confident I could take Uriah easily.

"Come here, Tyler," I say after I get him a plate with cut up hamburger with ketchup to dip it in, mac and cheese, green beans, applesauce, and a handful of fries. He eats every bite so we let him go sit with Uriah and have a sliver of chocolate cake.

"If he's bouncing off the walls when it's his bedtime, I'm bringing him to you, Uriah," I say.

"That's okay isn't it, Mar?" he says. Her eyes widen, and she starts shaking her head back and forth.

"You know, Uri," Lynn says. "The only reason the kid likes you is because you feed him cake every time you see him." Everyone laughs except for Uriah.

"You like me, don't you, kiddo?" he asks. Tyler smiles around the huge bite of cake in his mouth and bobs his little head up and down. This brings even louder laughter. "Marlene and I finally got settled into our new apartment. Thank you so much Four, Tris. Candor or Dauntless Friday night, 8:00 p.m. Everyone is expected to be there, _no_ exceptions."

"We can't be there," Tobias says.

"Bring Tyler. He can sleep upstairs while we play," Marlene says. Tobias and I set Uriah and Marlene up in a newly renovated apartment close to the Pit that has an upstairs loft.

"Yeah," Zeke says. "Everyone needs a fun night. Just bring Tyler with you if you don't want to get a babysitter." Tobias and I look at each other for a while.

"I'm not making any promises but Tris and I will talk about it," Tobias says, eliciting nothing but moans and groans from our friends.

"We'll think about it," I repeat. Tobias puts his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close then kisses my forehead.

"Shall we go home?" he asks in my ear. I nod my head at him.

"I need you either tomorrow or Tuesday night, Tris," Christina says when we are getting ready to leave.

"Why?" I ask. "I thought we had plans later in the week?"

She leans in close and says, "Your dress is in, and you need to have a fitting as soon as possible."

"Oh, okay," I say. As excited as I am to become Tobias' wife, I think Christina is more excited for my wedding and reception. "I'm free Tuesday night. Four and I are going to the hospital tomorrow night."

"Okay, Tuesday after supper then," she says with a quick hug. "You'll have to tell me about your talk with your parents."

"Yeah, we'll talk then," I say. "Come on, Tyler. You've had enough cake now." He gives me a pouty little look that I swear he picked up from me over the past six weeks.

"Tyler," Tobias says firmly, and he lowers his head, jumps down off the bench, and comes to me. I hold my hand out, and he reaches up and places his hand in mine.

"Shall we go home now?" He raises his eyes to mine and smiles sweetly. We all say goodnight to our friends and tell them we will see them later.

We all slowly walk hand-in-hand with Tyler in the middle up to our apartment in the Pire. We aren't in the apartment two minutes when Tyler brings me the movie _Cars_ he loves so much. I sigh but immediately put it in the DVD player then sit down on the couch and cuddle into Tobias' side. He puts his arm around me and pulls me even closer. Tyler sits on the floor in front of us, the movie absorbing his entire attention. The monotony of the movie has my eyes fluttering within minutes, and I fall asleep huddled close to the man I love.


	9. Chapter 9

My heavy eyelids fight to open but I'm not quite ready to wake up just yet. Even though I fell asleep early last night, I can still feel fatigue weighing my body down. Finally, after several minutes of fighting with myself, I relent and open my eyes to find myself staring into a pair of perfect, bright, light bluish-gray eyes. His little hands are resting on the edge of the mattress, and he's looking at me expectantly. I've seen him do this with Tobias many times so I know he's standing as tall as he can on the very tips of his toes. I chuckle and pat the extra-large black and blue hand-sewn quilt that's covering Tobias and me. He knows he can't get into bed with us until one of us gives him our permission. He eagerly scrambles up onto the mattress, over me, and wiggles his way between Tobias and me. I help him get under the warm covers, and he lets out a contented little sigh. I see Tobias' eyes slowly open, and after a split second of confusion, a smile brightens his still sleepy face. We all snuggle closely together like we do most every morning, not saying a word. I for one enjoy this special bonding time we have together but it's taking its toll.

"Good morning, Tyler," Tobias and I both say with a chuckle at the same time after a few minutes. I glance at the clock, already knowing what it's going to say: 5:00 a.m. The boy is nothing if not predictable.

"I think I have another reason for being so tired," I say with a big yawn, turning so I can look in Tobias' drowsy eyes. "Don't get me wrong, I love our little morning ritual but 5:00 a.m. is kind of killing me right now."

"I'm sorry," he quietly says. "Do you want me to take him back to his room so you can get some more sleep?"

"I hate to kick you out of bed. It makes me feel like I'm being selfish. This is your bed too," I say, running my hand through his curly locks. I think it's about time for another trim.

"Tris, love, this won't last forever," he says. "You're pregnant. You are _not_ being selfish. If you want anything, ask, and I'll do my very best to make it happen."

"No. I don't want you to leave," I say, reaching out and holding the hand he has laying on his leg. He furrows his eyebrows at me and sighs but doesn't say anything about my refusal. We all cuddle together for about an hour. When Tyler falls back to sleep, Tobias carefully picks him up and carries him back to his own bedroom so I can get some more sleep. Tobias uses the bathroom first while I try to go back to sleep but it's too late, I'm already awake so I get up and make the bed. I go to the closet and pick out an outfit more in line with the milder weather we've been having and lay it across the bed. When I turn around, Tobias is coming back into the bedroom with a towel wrapped around his hips, drying his hair with another.

"Couldn't fall back to sleep?" he says.

"No," I say, shaking my head. "I tried but I guess I was too awake."

"Are you okay this morning?" he asks, eyeing me.

"I'm fine," I say. "Just a little tired but it isn't too bad. I've had worse. I'm going to take my shower now then I'll get Tyler ready. Can you make us some breakfast?"

"It would be my pleasure," he says gently placing his warm lips on mine. I sigh when we part and head toward the bathroom with the wet towels he places in my hands. I take my time in the shower letting the hot water and invigorating fresh green apple scent of my new body wash, shampoo, and conditioner wake me up further. When I finish, I get dressed, put on my makeup, and dry and style my hair, which is in desperate need of a trim then run a bath for Tyler.

I go into his room and pick out one of the many outfits that Christina bought for him to wear today and wake him up. He follows me into the bathroom, and I help him into the bath. He isn't in the tub very long since we both can smell the pancakes and sausage Tobias is downstairs preparing, and we both decide that we would rather eat than play. I dry him off then dress him in typical Dauntless attire: Black carpenter jeans, a black long-sleeved t-shirt that has a picture of a gray and white motorcycle on the front, and little black combat boots, which are one of the cutest things I've ever seen in my entire life. Since he isn't going outside today, I decide not to put a jacket on him. Tyler and I walk downstairs, and I put him on his chair then sit down beside him at the island just as Tobias finishes with breakfast. He serves us each a plate of delicious smelling food, and we chat about our day.

"What's on the agenda for today?" I ask.

"It's just a routine day, except we have an initiation planning meeting with Uriah and Christina at 10:00 a.m. in the training room," he says. "I think the four of us are properly prepared for the physical part of training but we still have to figure out the details of what we want to teach the initiates."

"You still don't want to teach them knife throwing, do you?" I ask, unclear as to why he feels the way he does about that part of training. He's voiced his opinion to me several times stating he doesn't think it's necessary and that it goes hand in hand with the recklessness of the old Dauntless, but I disagree. Throwing knives makes me feel powerful and in control, which I don't think is bad at all.

"No, I don't," he says, taking a drink of his milk. "That is something the four of us can discuss today. I'll take your opinions into consideration before I make my final decision."

"I think we need to ask Christina if she's going to be able to go through with training the Dauntless born this year. Her due date is only a week of two before Choosing Day," I say.

"I should have thought about that," he says. "I wonder if Lauren would temporarily fill in until Christina thinks she's ready to start."

"She might not want to do it at all this year with a band new baby, Tobias," I say thinking only about what I would want. I wouldn't want to leave a newborn to deal with a bunch of freaking out teenagers hoping they make it through Dauntless' rigorous initiation process.

"We'll talk about it with her at the meeting," he says. "Once we have her answer, we'll figure out what we need to do."

"Sounds like a plan," I say, getting up from the island with my dirty dishes. I put them in the dishwasher then start cleaning up the kitchen while Tobias and Tyler finish their breakfast. Once they are both done, Tobias volunteers to take Tyler down to the daycare center in the Pit so I don't have to walk all the way there and back and wear myself out. I thank him for his thoughtfulness with a steamy kiss that threatens to lead somewhere it can't go at the moment. He pulls away from me with a groan, and I look up into his desire-filled eyes. I sincerely apologize then give Tyler a kiss goodbye before they leave me to finish cleaning up the kitchen.

When I'm done, I lock the apartment behind me and make my way to my office to work on last week's incident reports. I have paperwork spread across my desk when a flash of navy blue and white catches my attention. I turn my head just in time to see my brother stepping out of a car that just pulled up outside our building. I get up from my desk, step out of my office, and go outside to meet him.

"Caleb," I say. "What are you doing here?" He looks up at the sound of his name, and my world tilts for a split second. I've never seen a look on anyone's face like the one on my brother's this instant. He looks like a dead man walking. "What is it, Caleb?" I hold my breath awaiting his answer. I know it isn't going to be good.

"Beatrice," he slowly says, prolonging my agony. "It's Dad." I drag an unsteady breath into my lungs. My heart starts to race painfully in my chest, and I hear my pounding pulse start to sound in my ears. I gradually back up, not exactly sure where I'm going, until my legs hit the ornate black wrought iron bench that sits outside the Dauntless headquarters, and I automatically sit down before my legs give way and I topple to the pavement below.

"What ... what happened?" I ask, meeting his red-rimmed eyes. I can tell he's embarrassed by the fact he's been crying. He shouldn't be, tears are forming behind my eyes, wanting to spill. "Is he okay?" I'm having a hard time concentrating right now. I just saw Dad yesterday. How can something be wrong with him? He _has_ to be okay.

"All I know is Mom found him outside the house early this morning," he says, his voice trembling. "He's been beaten very badly, Beatrice. Mom said she's afraid that if she hadn't found him when she did he would have died. It's that bad."

"Oh, my God!" I says. "Where is he?" I automatically flash back to Asher and Dru's termination list, which had every Prior name on it and wonder if the safety and security of the last six weeks have been a farce and if the lists are still in play. My breath starts coming short and fast thinking of that possibility.

"What's going on here? Caleb?" says the only voice that might calm me in this situation. "Tris, love, what's wrong?" He kneels before me and puts both his hands on my face, cupping my cheeks.

"My Dad," I whisper, looking into his concerned eyes. He freezes, and I look up at Caleb begging with my eyes for more information, _any_ information.

"He's been attacked, Four. It's bad," he says. "He's in the emergency room at the hospital in town being worked on while we speak. Mom sent me to get you and Beatrice."

My world is spinning off its axis. I know we need to get to Mom but I can't bring myself to move, and Tobias seems frozen to the ground in front of me. We just spent a very nice day with him and Mom yesterday. Even though he showed concern over the adoption and pregnancy, we worked everything out. He was happy to learn he was going to be a grandfather and wished us well when we left. He didn't deserve this, not at all.

"Can we see him?" I manage to ask Caleb since my flowing tears have nearly robbed me of my voice.

"I'm not sure," he says. "Mom wants us there though. I can drive if you would like. My car is right there." He points at the dark midnight blue sedan at the curb I saw him get out of.

"Yes, thank you," I say. "Four, please come with me." He unfreezes and straightens himself up. He pulls me to my feet and right into his strong arms.

"Of course I'm coming with you, Tris," he says, holding me close, kissing the top of my head. He takes his phone out of his pocket and texts Will and Tori about our emergency and the fact that we'll be at the hospital more than likely for the rest of the day, and then he texts Christina and Uriah postponing our meeting, which is supposed to start in just a few minutes in the training room. "Let's go." I slide into the backseat of the car and am surprised when Tobias slides in next to me leaving Caleb alone in the front seat.

"You didn't have to sit with me," I whisper, not meaning it one bit. I'm glad he's right next to me. I need him more right now than I think I've ever needed him.

"I want to," he says, wrapping me in his arms once again, comforting me. I inhale the scent that can only be described as Tobias and try to calm myself the best I can and not let my thoughts run amuck.

As we pull away from the curb I'm reminded of that terrible day in early January when Tobias and I raced down the snow-covered streets toward the hospital to check on Evelyn and the baby. Now looking out the side window of Caleb's borrowed car, I see green shoots peeking through the typical brown grass of this time of year and early blooming tulips and daffodils in every color of the rainbow lining public walkways because of the unseasonably warm temperatures. But what's so familiar right now is the adrenaline-spiked terror flowing through my veins. What will we find when we get to the hospital? Is he going to be okay, or am I going to lose a parent today?

Tobias holds me close telling me to breathe. He's trying to keep me calm because of the baby. I breathe with him just like I did yesterday morning, in deeply through my nose and out slowly through my mouth. I silently pray, just like I do every day for Evelyn and the baby, asking for my dad to please be okay.

"Mom told me to meet her in the waiting area in the emergency department," Caleb says as we pull up in front of the large hospital. I think he drove faster than Tobias did. It didn't seem like it took any time at all for us to get here. He slams the car to a stop in the last available parking spot alongside the curb, and we all jump out and rush through the large, glass double automatic sliding doors. I see my mom sitting in a row of brown leather armchairs off by herself looking very somber. Caleb and I hurry to her, and when she sees us coming, she stands and takes us into her outstretched arms.

"Beatrice, Caleb," she quietly says, hugging us close and stroking the back of our heads. "My babies. I am _so_ glad you are both here. You, too, Four. You are a part of this family now, also."

"Can you tell us what happened, Natalie? How is Andrew?" Tobias asks taking charge since the rest of us are obviously in shock.

"He went out very early this morning for a business meeting," she says. "I don't know who he was meeting with or where he was going but when I left the house at a little after 7:00 a.m. for my assigned shift at the library I found him lying by our front steps and immediately had him brought here by Ethan Black." Tobias and I both start to ask a question but he lets me go first.

"Was Mr. Black outside when you found him?" I ask, suddenly concerned about his surprising involvement.

"No," Mom says. "I ran to his house since I knew he had immediate access to a car, and he accompanied me back to your father. We loaded him in the backseat and rushed him here."

"How do you know it was a business meeting?" Tobias asks. "Did he tell you that?" Mom is silent for a few minutes, thinking.

"Actually he didn't tell me it was a business meeting, Four," she says, worry on her face. "I just assumed it was. I really don't know why he left so early this morning." Where could he have been going that early in the morning? He never used to leave the house until 7:00 a.m. at the earliest. He has always been such a consistent person, I wonder what would make him change his routine like that.

"Where is he?" Caleb asks, breaking the imposing silence. "Can we see him?"

"He's being taken care of through those double doors right there," she says, pointing to the set of heavy-looking oversized wooden doors not 10 feet away marked with a sign that says no visitors beyond this point. "The doctors are still working to stabilize him." If I didn't know my mother so well, I would think she isn't bothered by this situation at all. I wonder why I don't have her strength.

"Who is looking into what happened?" Tobias asks. "He's the head of the council now. Every faction has a stake in seeing the perpetrator or perpetrators brought to justice."

"Oh, Four," Mom says. "I don't know. I'm not sure if anyone is looking into it. Ethan is the only one I told about this. I'm sure he reported it when he got back to Abnegation though. I was just focused on getting him here."

"Of course you were. I understand. Do you have a way for me to get in touch with Jonah Thomson or Matthew Williams?" he asks. "I can lend a couple of my investigators to them if needed."

"You should be able to call Andrew's office and talk to his secretary. Ask for either Jonah or Matthew, and she will transfer you to them," Mom says.

"I'll do that right now," Tobias says. "I'll go outside to make the call. I'll be right back." He gives me a quick kiss then heads out the double automatic doors as several hospital personnel rush into the room my mom just pointed out a minute ago. Mom, Caleb, and I hurry after them just in time to see a flat line on the EKG attached to my father's chest. I yell out and nearly collapse to the floor.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: Here is your next chapter. I hope you enjoy. And I know, I'm evil for all the cliff hangers!**

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><p>"Get them out of here," a doctor with short, curly blonde hair dressed head to toe in pink shrieks, pointing directly at us. She has a set of paddles in her hands, which are hovering directly above my father's unclothed chest. A bulky, bald-headed, male nurse in bright blue scrubs quickly ushers Mom, Caleb, and me out of the large, bright examination room as I see so many people rushing around my father trying to put a spark back in his lifeless body. He pushes us through the heavy double wooden doors and back into the small waiting area we just left, which seems like our new home away from home for as long as we've been here already. I collapse into one of the comfortable brown leather armchairs that sits just on the outside of the heavy double doors. I pull my feet up into the chair, rocking back and forth, trying desperately to hold myself together.<p>

Tobias is looking at the screen on his phone as he walks back through the automatic doors, and when he looks up and sees the distressed look on my face, he runs directly to me. He sits down in the chair next to me, wraps me up in his protective embrace, and lets me cry into his chest, caressing my head the entire time.

"He didn't have a heartbeat," I finally whisper as I dry my eyes on his now soaked skintight black t-shirt. "They kicked us out of the examination room. I can't lose him, Tobias. I'm not ready to lose him." A new round of tears fall from my puffy eyes onto Tobias' chest as my heart aches.

"I wish I knew what the right thing to say was, Tris," he whispers in my ear. "I wish I could say that everything is going to be alright and he's going to be fine but I don't want to give you false hope."

"I know," I say, leaning back and looking in his troubled eyes.

"Is there anything I can get for you?" he asks. "Anything at all." I want my daddy.

"I could really use a cup of coffee," I tell him. I need something comforting, something I can hold on to. Something in addition to him.

"Natalie, Caleb," he says, getting up from his chair and they look at him. "I'm going to the cafeteria to get Tris a cup of coffee. Is there anything I can get for either of you?"

"No thank you, Four," my mom softly says, remembering her polite Abnegation manners even in this time of great stress.

"I would take a cup of black coffee, Four. Thank you," Caleb says. Tobias leans over and kisses the top of my head once again, lingering for a moment, then heads down a hallway clearly marked with a sign saying cafeteria with an arrow underneath it. Mom gets up from where she's sitting and sits in the chair Tobias just vacated. She puts one arm around my shoulders and lovingly pats my knee with the other.

"How are you feeling, Beatrice?" she quietly asks. "Are you okay?" I know she's asking about the pregnancy but I'm not in the mood to talk about my little peanut right now.

"No, I'm not okay, Mom. Nothing about this is okay. I thought the targets were gone from our backs," I say. Caleb's hanging head snaps up, and he stares at me incredulously.

"Wait a minute, you think his assault has something to do with those godforsaken lists?" Caleb asks with disbelief clear in his voice. "We got all the people associated with that scandal, and they were executed, except for that kid who is sitting in jail. I don't believe this has anything to do with that. I ... I _can't _believe that."

"Everyone loves Dad. I don't know of one enemy he has," I say, desperation seeping into my uneven voice. "Asher and Dru wanted us _all_ dead. What are the odds of someone else having a grudge against Dad? What else could this be about? I can't think of anything else. Can you?" Everyone is silent for a while.

"There have been several isolated reports filtering into Erudite of misconduct on the council. Some of the reports are more of the same from when Marcus was leading Abnegation but a great majority of the incidents are directly related to ... Dad. We haven't released any reports yet because we haven't been able to corroborate any of the statements," Caleb says. "Erudite is trying to change its image by changing its ways. I'm trying my best to make sure of it. We don't want to accuse someone of doing something wrong if they are innocent, especially the leader of the council." Anger starts simmering in the pit of my stomach then quickly spreads outward throughout my entire body like a runaway blaze. No, this isn't right. Who in the world would think my dad would do anything wrong, _could_ do anything wrong.

"Dad wouldn't do anything wrong. He's too selfless," I say, my voice raising, extremely distressed now. "You can't believe those reports, Caleb. Can you? You know him just as well as Mom and I do."

"No, of course I don't believe anything I've read about him," he indignantly says, hating the fact I could doubt him. "I know he would never do the things he's being accused of. I know him far too well, and that is exactly what I have told my fellow leaders. But, Beatrice, that doesn't mean there isn't an individual or a group of people out there in the city somewhere who do believe the accusations or have some kind of unknown vendetta against him. Hell, it might not even be about him at all. It could just be more of the same shit ... Abnegation is bad. Let's destroy them." We sit staring at each other. My mother is giving Caleb a disproving look because of his colorful language.

"Here's your coffee, Tris," Tobias says, startling me a little bit and making me jump. I didn't see him approaching us because of my tense conversation with my brother. I take the cup of steaming comfort from him with barely a thanks. "Caleb." He offers a cup to him. "Am I interrupting something?" Tobias is looking between the three of us, taking in our strained expressions. Mom gets up from beside me to let Tobias sit down.

"Apparently there have been some unsubstantiated reports coming into Erudite about Andrew," Mom calmly says when no one answers him. "We were just discussing who would do such a thing to him. Beatrice thinks the lists may still be in play. Caleb thinks Abnegation may still have some enemies. I didn't know Andrew had ... _has_ enemies. All this news is quite shocking for me." Poor Mom. This is so hard for her. Caleb reaches his hand out to her and she takes it.

"What kind of reports are there, Caleb?" Tobias asks, suddenly sounding like Four, taking charge once again. I'm glad he is. There isn't anyone more capable than he is and no one I trust more in this world. "Any information I can pass on to the investigators could be of the utmost importance." Caleb looks at Mom. She smiles at all of us.

"I think I will go outside and get some fresh air while you three talk," she says. "I have not one doubt when it comes to your father, kids. Whatever these accusations are, I know 100% in my heart they are false. If any formal charges are read, I will hear the allegations then." She gets up, holding her head high, and walks out the sliding double doors and sits down on one of the benches in front of the tall windows. I don't think I could have left. If people were trying to spread ugly rumors about Tobias, I would want to hear the charges, and I would scream at anyone who would listen that they were not true.

"Before you begin, I want you to know I sent my two best men, Simon and Tony, to help Jonah and Matthew with the investigation. They seemed very appreciative for the assistance and a bit overwhelmed. They aren't accustom to having to deal with this kind of investigation. I think they have always leaned heavily on your father. They are missing him right now," he says. "Now please tell me about these reports." I've learned in the past six weeks that purple hair's real name is Simon McCall and snake tattoo is actually Tony Weatherly, and they are dedicated to Dauntless and to Tobias. They will do anything he wants them to do. He made a good decision sending them to Abnegation to help with this matter.

"Thank you for all you've done, Four. My family appreciates it," Caleb says. He looks all around us and notes we are alone with the exception of an older Candor couple sitting by the automatic doors who have been paying us no attention all afternoon. They are huddled close together, tears in their eyes, comforting each other. I imagine they have no idea anyone else is in the room. "We've had numerous complaints but there have been three repeated accusations. Beatrice, please don't freak out when you hear them, okay." Well that tells me the claims are going to be horrible. I wish he wouldn't have said that. It's making me even more nervous and pissed off.

"I will make you no such promises, Caleb," I say but I catch Tobias' worried expression and try to calm down. "I'll try."

"He's been accused of having a longtime affair with the wife of another council member, taking multiple bribes, and misappropriation of Abnegation funds," he quietly says, barely above a whisper. I can't stop the maniacal giggle from escaping my lips. My father having an affair is absolutely absurd. Caleb looks at me like I'm not taking this situation seriously enough, and the expression on Tobias' face tells me he is worried about my runaway hormones and perhaps my sanity.

"I am _so_ glad Mom went outside," I say, still chuckling. "She shouldn't have to hear such nonsense. Everything you just said is so ridiculous but an _affair_. Do you know who made these allegations?"

"No, each one was anonymous," Caleb says.

"That tells me one of two things about the people hiding behind their anonymity," Tobias says. "Either they are fabricating the entire story for some reason know only to them or the person is scared of repercussion for coming forward." If I had a gun, knife, or death ray, I'd use it on him right now. _Where the hell did _that_ come from? Breathe, Tris,_ I say to myself. _You really don't want to kill him. You love him. _

"Tris," he slowly says, sensing my ever shifting mood. "I'm not agreeing with the reports. I would never do that. I know what an upstanding citizen your father is. I'm just telling you what anonymous reports usually mean, in my opinion."

"Sorry," I say with a sigh. "This is just so hard to deal with." I put my head in my hands, tears spilling again, and feel him pull we toward him.

"Can you tell me something?" he delicately asks. I look into his apprehensive eyes and nod my head. "Why do you think this has anything at all to do with the lists? We all know that is over now. We got everyone involved."

"Hearing he had been attacked immediately made me think of my families names on Dru and Asher's hit list," I say. "The news took me right back to that terrible time. I can't think of anyone else who would want to harm him, so it made me think of that. He has to be okay."

"Has there been an update on his condition yet?" Tobias asks.

"No," I say, moving my hands around his waist. "I think that's what's killing me the most, not knowing."

"No news is good news," my mom says with her typical Abnegation-style optimism. I look up at her. I didn't know she had come back into the waiting room. She and Caleb sit down in the chairs facing Tobias and me and wait for news of any kind from the doctors working on Dad. I study her face while we watch numerous people come and go from the examination room, expectation rising every time the large heavy door creaks open and crushing us when no one approaches with any information. She seems so content but I know she has to be dying inside. That is her husband lying in there being worked on. I would be a raving lunatic if it was Tobias who had no heartbeat. I know it's her selfless nature that's keeping her from falling apart right now. This is another reason I question my aptitude test coming back with Abnegation as one of my strengths. I'm only selfless when I get something out of what I'm doing, and I believe that's the very definition of selfish.

Tobias generously offers to get each of us some coffee and food from the cafeteria after a very long afternoon of waiting for news of Dad that never comes. I try to tell him I'm not hungry but he and Mom gang up on me and quietly remind me I need to take care of myself so I finally relent. He comes back from the cafeteria with a large coffee, turkey and cheese sub with all the accompaniments, and some sliced apples for each of us. I gladly take the coffee and drink it right down then take a bite of the sandwich, which turns out to be quite delicious and hits the spot. I didn't even realize I was hungry. I momentarily think about giving Caleb our news but I know this isn't the time or place. It seems like the only time I get to see my brother is during troubled times, and I don't want to tell him he's going to be an uncle twice over when he's in shock and on edge. I check the clock on the wall and am surprised to find it as late as it is.

"Four, will you please call Will and Christina and check on Tyler," I ask. "It's getting close to his bedtime, and I don't want him thinking we've forgotten about him."

"Sure," he says. "Why don't you step outside with me and get some fresh air and stretch your legs? It can't be good for you to just sit there, Tris. Please?" He holds his hand out to me, and I can't help myself. I take his hand, and he helps me to my feet. He's right, it does feel good to stretch my legs. I've been sitting here for hours.

"Mom, we're going outside so we can check on Tyler," I say. "We'll be right back. I love you."

"Take care of yourself, Beatrice. I hope Tyler is okay," she says. "Caleb and I will be right here."

"Who is Tyler?" Caleb says, confusion obvious on his face. I frown and then sigh.

"I'll tell you about Tyler when we get back," I say.

Tobias and I walk hand-in-hand out the automatic sliding double doors to the front of the hospital. I turn and look back to where we came from and can clearly see my mother and brother sitting by the big double doors that lead to the examination room, which relaxes me almost instantaneously. I'm still worried about my dad's condition but at least I can see if a doctor or nurse approaches my family with an update.

Tobias gives Will a quick call to check on Dauntless and Tyler. He also offers up our apartment for them to sleep in so Tyler's schedule won't be so disrupted and so he will be in a familiar place. He's had enough disruption in his young life. We don't want to cause him anymore stress. Will and Tobias exchange some pleasantries then he says goodnight and hangs up.

"Tyler's fine, love," Tobias says. "He apparently keeps asking for us and they keep having to explain that Andrew was hurt, and we are waiting to see how he is. Christina said he's a bit anxious and worried about your Dad also."

"Oh, poor baby. Thank you, Tobias," I say, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"How are you doing?" he asks after a moment, tipping my chin up so I have to look directly into his sad and worried eyes. I hate seeing him like this. My Tobias should always be happy.

"Physically, I'm fine. I know you're worried about the baby. Please don't be, Peanut's fine," I manage to say with a little smile. "Mentally and emotionally though? I'm not sure. I feel like I'm falling apart." He holds me as close as he can as tears start to run down my cheeks again simply because of sheer frustration. "Why haven't we heard anything? What is _taking_ so long? If they would just tell us something ... _anything_, I could start to process it. This not knowing is brutal."

"I don't know what's taking so long, Tris," he whispers in my ear. "I wish I did." He holds me close for a long time, running his hands comfortingly up and down my back. "Maybe we should go back inside." He puts his arm around my shoulder and leads me back to the familiar seats we've spent the entire afternoon in. The creak of the heavy wooden door captures all our attention, and we turn and look intently at the older doctor with graying dark brown hair I saw working on Dad who is walking our way with zero emotion on his face. I hold my breath in anticipation of what he has to say.

"Prior family?" he asks. We all nod. "I'm sorry."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: I thought you all deserved a bonus chapter because you've been so patient with my cliffhangers! I would also like to say thank you so very much. I am nearing 14,000 views, I have over 150 reviews and 160 followers, and this is only chapter 11. This is completely mind boggling. Enough about me! Like I said, bonus chapter! Yeah for you! Enjoy!**

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><p>My heart seems to stop for a full minute before it starts to race in my chest, and I finally have to remind myself to breathe. I draw an agonizing breath deep into my air deprived lungs. The doctor can't be telling us what I think he's trying to tell us. Can he? I stare into his bright green eyes and realize I have no words. I crumple against Tobias and feel him tighten his grip on my waist.<p>

"My name is Dr. Phillips," the older doctor says. "I should have come out sooner to update you on Mr. Prior's condition but it was touch and go there for quite a while, and it took longer than I thought it would to stabilize him." Oh, thank you, God. He's alive.

"How is he?" my mom calmly asks. "When may I see him?"

"He is in serious but stable condition. He has suffered a traumatic brain injury and has been put into a medically-induced coma to let the swelling on his brain go down on its own. If this does not work, surgery will be necessary to relieve the pressure," he says, matter-of-factly and with no emotion. Right now I wish it was Dr. Parrish we were talking to. He has a much better bedside manner than this Dr. Phillips. Zander would be trying to put us all at ease. "He has a moderate-to-severe head injury with a nondisplaced skull fracture and sizeable brain contusion. Thankfully, he does not have any bleeding on the brain. That could have proved fatal. He appears to have taken a severe beating around his head and neck. We will be monitoring his condition closely for the next 48 hours to make sure no complications arise. This time is critical as to whether he will make a full recovery or not. Mrs. Prior are these your children?"

"This is my son, daughter, and her fiancé," she says, pointing to each of us in turn.

"I'm afraid only immediate family is allowed to visit tonight," he says looking at Tobias. "You and your children may see him for five minutes then you may all come back tomorrow during regular visiting hours when he has been transferred to a private room in the intensive care unit. Mrs. Prior if you would follow me, I will take you to see him now. Once again, I would like to apologize to all of you for making you wait without updates. I take full responsibility for that."

"You were working on my husband, Dr. Phillips," my mom says with typical Abnegation kindness. "We hold no ill will toward you." Mom squeezes Caleb's hand, glides her hand down my cheek, and pats Tobias' arm, then follows the doctor into the examination room.

"You are family, too," I stubbornly say to Tobias. "You should be able to see him tonight."

"It is alright, Tris. I'll come back with you tomorrow and see him then," he says quietly. "If you don't mind, I'm going to go check on Evelyn now that we know Andrew is stable. You'll go in to see him by yourself pretty soon. I promise I'll be right here waiting for you when you come out, and I'll get you home. I love you."

"That's fine, Four. Please give her my best," I say leaning my head against his shoulder. "I love you, too." He puts his finger on my chin, tips my head back, and gently places his lips on mine. I have to remind myself we are sitting in a public waiting room across from my brother. It's just too damn easy to lose myself when his lips are on mine.

"I'll be right back," he says after he pulls away from me. He runs his hand down my cheek, just like my mom did a moment ago then gets up and moves toward the now very familiar elevator in the corner of the emergency department that will carry him up to the obstetrics ward to visit with his mother.

"Who is Evelyn? And who is Tyler?" Caleb asks, watching Tobias cross the room. "You never did tell me." I take a couple deep breaths in preparation.

"Evelyn is Four's mother, and Tyler is his 2-year-old little brother," I hesitantly say. "He's staying with us right now."

"His mother?" he says, surprise then confusion alighting his face. "I could have sworn his mother died years ago. Wait, she _did_ die. I remember going to her funeral. I think I was somewhere around ... eight years old."

"Yeah, I remember her funeral also. I was seven and you had just turned eight. Four was nine. It's a really long story, Caleb," I say. "Basically, Evelyn could no longer live with the abuse she suffered at Marcus' hand so she left him to become factionless. He couldn't take the rejection so he lied to everyone including Four and all of Abnegation and concocted the story about her death during childbirth. She's very much alive. She contacted Four almost two years ago wanting to reconcile. It's very difficult for him to talk about it. She not only left Marcus, which I totally understand, but she left him too, which I can't wrap my head around. I don't think I will ever be able to understand how she could have left her own child the way she did."

"That's terrible," he says, leaning back into his chair. "Marcus sure is a piece of work, isn't he? He gives Abnegation a bad name. I'm surprised they didn't make him factionless when they removed him from the council. Do you know why they removed him? All I've ever heard was gossip and speculation." I'm not used to this side of my brother. I'm used to the quiet, selfless Caleb I grew up with in Abnegation not the information seeking Erudite he has become. Wanting to hear gossip is very selfish. I let out a sigh remembering the day Marcus verbally assaulted me in Dad's office.

"Mom, Dad, Jonah, and Matthew overheard a statement Marcus made to me in Dad's office," I say. His eyes widen in surprise, and he just stares at me. He obviously wasn't expecting me to be part of the story and hasn't heard a version similar to this before. "Forgive me, I really don't want to repeat what it is he said because it was lewd. Mom slapped him across the face." Caleb sits in awe trying to picture our mother angry enough to hit someone I imagine. "Dad, Jonah, and Matthew made the decision to call the emergency meeting to discuss Marcus' behavior, and he was unanimously removed from the council that very day. Four asked Dad not to have a factionless vote but it was decided by the council that a vote would be held anyway, and he barely kept his status as a member of Abnegation. He is a total psychopath. I can't imagine anyone voting to allow him to stay. He is a master manipulator, and he was awful to Evelyn and Four. He absolutely despises me and blames me for getting kicked off the council. He wants revenge."

"I read the reports about Marcus before and after he lost his seat on the council. I have to admit, I didn't believe them at first, but I've come to see through his deceptions," Caleb says. "Why is Evelyn in the hospital, and why is Four's brother staying in Dauntless with you? Aren't there some sort of rules against that?" Oh, this is getting into the news about the baby. Do I tell him now? I stare at him for a moment.

"She's pregnant and having severe complications. She has to remain here in the hospital under constant supervision and strict bed rest until the baby can be safely delivered," I say, deciding to leave out the part about the adoption for right now. "We were given temporary custody of Tyler six weeks ago by social services because he didn't have any place else to go. That's why he's living with us and, no, we aren't breaking any rules."

"Raising children while being factionless should be against the law," he says.

"I'm not sure I totally disagree with you on that subject, Caleb," I say. I have a hard time thinking about handing Tyler back to Evelyn after she is ready to leave the hospital for so many reasons but now that he's had a taste of living in a faction, it seems cruel to send him back to that hopeless lifestyle. It's the life _she_ chose to live ... the life she has _forced_ on him.

"Can you send copies of the reports coming into Erudite about Dad to Four?" I ask, wanting to change the subject. Thinking about giving Tyler up right now is depressing me more than I already am. "He'll give them to Simon and Tony. Maybe with their help, Jonah and Matthew can figure out who's behind the rumors and the assault."

"Rumors ... that's a very good description of the reports, Beatrice. Do you know of anyone who would want to discredit Dad?"

"No, I've already told you that. I really don't," I say. Just as soon as the words leave my lips a picture of Marcus pops into my mind and a sneer crosses my face. Caleb gives me an odd look. "Actually, it didn't even cross my mind until right now, but Marcus could have done this."

"Caleb, you may go see your father now," Mom says, surprising us. I didn't see her approach. She looks ashen. "He's right through those double doors. You can't miss him. Please don't stay any longer than five minutes." He gets up, gives Mom a quick hug, and goes through the doors to see Dad. "What were you two talking about?"

"We were talking about who we think might be behind the rumors about Dad and who could have hurt him," I say. "How is he, Mom?" She takes a couple deep breaths steadying herself.

"He's not good, honey," she says, her voice cracking once. "I'm afraid he has a long road ahead of him. He's going to need your prayers."

"I've been praying, Mom," I say.

"How are you?" she asks. "Are you feeling okay? You need to promise me that you will take care of yourself and the baby. Try not to let what happened to your father affect you too much." I take both her hands in mine and look her straight in the eyes.

"I promise I'm fine," I say. "I also promise to take care of myself. I won't do anything to jeopardize Peanut."

"Peanut?" Mom asks with a warm grin on her weary face.

"Yeah. The baby kind of looked like a peanut in the ultrasound picture I had ... yesterday, and that's what I started calling him ... her. I hate calling Peanut an 'it'," I say. She leans forward and kisses my forehead. We sit side-by-side still holding each other's hands. She caresses the back of mine, comforting me. Hopefully sitting here with me is comforting her.

Caleb comes out of the examination room looking like he's just seen a ghost. He walks past us despite our calling his name repeatedly and out the front doors. I see him double over and Mom drops my hands and rushes to his side. She wraps her arms around my brother and lets him cry on her shoulder. I'm not sure I want to see Dad if Caleb, who is much stronger than I am, is reacting like this.

The creak of the large, heavy doors captures my attention, and I slowly get up out of my chair like I'm being compelled by some unseen force. My feet slowly move me forward of their own volition straight to my father's side. His appearance is ... shocking. He is deathly pale. He has a tube down his throat breathing for him. He is attached to two different IVs. Both of his eyes are very black and his right eye is completely swollen shut. He looks just awful, like the person lying before me isn't the beloved man who loved and cared for me for 16 years. I shuffle forward and take his hand in mine. I notice no marks on them. The attack must have happened so fast that he wasn't able to defend himself.

"We're going to find out who did this to you, Dad," I say in his ear. "I love you so much. _Please_ get better. You have grandchildren who need to know you. And we have a lot of work to do to make this city a safer and better place to live in. You can't leave us, not now." I bend over and give him a kiss on his pallid cheek. Tears stream down my face and fall onto his. I wipe the moisture off his cheek and turn and run out of the room. After exiting the large wooden doors, I run headlong into something hard and look up through my tearstained lashes and realize I just ran straight into Tobias' arms. He holds me tight as sobs wrack my body. Once the tears have dried, he takes me outside.

"Caleb, I would like to get Tris home now," Tobias says. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, I am, Four," he says. He gives Mom a big hug and a kiss on the cheek then slowly walks toward the car. Tobias releases me, and I walk straight into Mom's arms. I'm so emotionally drained that I don't even have any tears left or I would be bawling right now. She whispers that Dad will be okay in my ear then kisses my cheek as she hugs me tightly. We both say goodnight to Mom then get in the backseat of the car. Caleb drives us back to the Dauntless compound much slower than he drove this afternoon. We don't speak. I think we're all too exhausted both physically and emotionally to make conversation.

"Thank you, Caleb," I say when he pulls up in front of the Pire. "Will we see you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'll be there," he says, looking deflated. "Have a good night." Tobias gets out of the car and starts to help me out. "Beatrice?" I look in Caleb's weary eyes. "I love you, sis. _Please_ take care of yourself. I don't know what I would do if something happened to you, too."

"I will, Caleb," I tell him. "I love you, too. I always have and I always will. Take care of yourself also." I get out of his car and stand with Tobias, waving at him as he pulls away and leaves us behind.

Tobias takes my hand and leads me into the building and up the stairs to our apartment. He unlocks the door and opens it to find Will standing there.

"You're home," he says, covering his chest. "I was just going to get something from my place. How's your dad, Tris?"

"Not good, Will," I say. "He has a bad head injury. He's in a medically-induced coma. If the swelling doesn't go down on its own, he'll have to have brain surgery."

"That is awful. I am so sorry," Christina says, coming up behind Will. They both step away from the door and let us through. I collapse on the couch and Tobias sits down next to me and puts his arm around my shoulders.

"How is Tyler?" I ask, needing to get my mind off of Dad's assault.

"He's fine," Christina says. "We had supper in the cafeteria, came back here watched a movie, then he went to bed at a little after 8:00 p.m. I've checked on him several times. He's fine, Tris. What happened to your dad?"

"All we really know is that he was badly beaten this morning," I say with a whisper, my voice quivering. "He could die." Will and Christina sit down on our love seat, and Christina leans forward and puts her hand on my knee.

"Anything you need at all, Tris, I'm here for you," she says. "Whether it's picking up Tyler at daycare or sitting with you at the hospital. I'm here for you. You know that." I lean forward and wrap my arms around her and hug her tightly.

"We'll leave you guys alone now," Will says. "You both look exhausted."

"Thank you so much for looking after Tyler," Tobias says. "We really do appreciate it. We'll see you at breakfast and talk about our schedule. I imagine Tris and I will be spending a lot of time at the hospital this week."

"Goodbye guys," I say. "Love you." Will and Christina get up off the love seat and move toward our door. "See you in the morning. Thanks again." They quietly go out the door. Tobias gets up after them and locks the door. He comes back and stands in front of me. I look up through the tears on my lashes.

"You need something to eat, Tris," he says.

"I'm not hungry, Tobias," I say. "I just want to go to bed." He sighs.

"No," he says forcefully, taking me by surprise. "You have to not only take care of yourself but our baby." I can't help but give him a little smile when he says _our baby_. "You need to eat."

"You're right," I say. "I think some scrambled eggs would be easy on my stomach tonight. The pancakes were a bit heavy this morning."

"How about a small bowl of fruit with them and some milk?" he asks, heading toward the kitchen. I turn myself sideways on the couch and follow him with my eyes.

"That actually sounds good," I say, my stomach grumbling a little at the mention of food. "Thank you for making me eat. I guess I am hungry after all." He looks over at me and smiles his brilliant smile and takes my breath away.

"I'm going to check on Tyler. I missed him today," I tell Tobias while he's making our supper. "I'll be right back." I get up off the comfortable couch, which is wanting me to stay right where I am, and trudge up the stairs to Tyler's room. He is sound asleep in the middle of his little bed looking like the little angel he is. He is one of a handful of people who could put a smile on my face right now. I lean over and place a light kiss on his cheek then I leave his door ajar and slowly walk back down the stairs and straight to my seat at the island. As soon as I sit down he slides a plate full of fluffy scrambled eggs, a small bowl of oranges, melon, and grapes, and a large glass of milk to me. He carries a plate of eggs and bacon over for him, and I steal a slice of bacon off his plate before he can sit down.

"Would you like me to fix you some?" he asks with a smirk on his face. I reach over and take another one of his.

"No, I think this will be enough," I say, biting off the end of the slice. He kisses the side of my head, and I grin at him as I take another bite of the stolen bacon. I eat slowly, savoring each bite realizing just how hungry I am but it doesn't take long for the familiar fatigue to start weighing me down though. After I finish my last bite, I stack my bowl and glass on my plate and shove them away and lean on my right elbow and stare at Tobias.

"Thank you for taking such good care of me," I say. He looks my way.

"You're welcome," he says. "You know I'm glad to do it."

"Thank you also for going to the hospital with me today. I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't been there for me to lean on. I love you so much." I lean over to him and gently place my lips to his. We kiss softly for a moment. When we part, I feel the tears start to run down my cheek again, and I quickly wipe them away. Now isn't the time for tears.

"I love you, too, Tris," he says. He gently glides the back of his hand down my cheek, catching a few stray tears as they descend my face.

"I'm going to go to bed," I tell him. "I'm absolutely exhausted. I hope you don't mind if I leave you to clean up the kitchen on your own."

"Not at all," he says. "Go." He gathers all our dishes and takes them into the kitchen to put them in the dishwasher. I get up off my barstool, go to him, stand up on my tiptoes, and once again place my lips gently on his. We move our mouths together for a moment before I break away.

"Goodnight," I say turning toward the stairs so I can go to bed.


	12. Chapter 12

I lazily roll over in bed and instinctively reach out for Tobias but only find the cold, empty sheets next to me. I open my eyes and see the green glowing numbers on the alarm clock telling me I've overslept. My pulse starts to race when I realize I should have been up hours ago. I sit up, swing my legs over the side of the bed, and slide to my feet. I walk to the bathroom and find it empty. Tyler's door is open and his room is dark. I go downstairs and am baffled when I see it too is deserted. Just as I'm getting ready to grab my phone, I see a piece of paper on the island. I walk over and immediately recognize Tobias' flawless scrawl.

VI

I decided to let you sleep in since you've had a couple stressful days. I'm taking Tyler to the cafeteria for breakfast then to daycare. I'll be back soon and make us breakfast before we go see your dad. I love you.

IV

I decide to take advantage of his thoughtful nature and the peaceful morning to take a soak in the tub, which is something I rarely get to do anymore. I turn the water on, get it to just the right temperature, and put my favorite coconut-scented bath salts in, which came in a set with the coconut butter lotion Tobias bought me at an Amity booth last fall at the farmer's market. I strip out of my short black silk pajamas, toss them in the hamper, and climb into the comfortable, oversized bathtub and stretch out.

My thoughts immediately go to my dad who is still fighting for his life in the hospital after receiving a beating from at least two unknown assailants according to the evidence collected from his body when he was brought to the hospital. The chemically-induced coma Dr. Phillips put him in, thankfully, is working. The swelling on his brain is gradually going down, and it looks like surgery has been avoided. He told us he doesn't want to leave Dad in the coma too long but he also doesn't want to bring him out of it too soon. It's a very delicate situation. I keep praying for him to get better and to come back to us.

The hospital has been allowing Mom to stay with him 24 hours a day since they are a married couple but Caleb and I can only visit during the official posted ICU visiting times, which are 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and again from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. I spent every hour I could with him yesterday sitting by his side, holding his hand, and I plan to do the same every day until he wakes up. Mom seems to be holding up much better than I would be in her situation. Caleb, on the other hand, doesn't seem like himself at the moment, and he isn't very forthcoming about what's bothering him. At first I thought it was seeing Dad lying in the emergency department with all the tubes and machines hooked to him but now I'm not so sure. Something is nagging me and I can't shake it. I wish I could. Tobias is really helping me right now. Anything I need, he gets me even if I don't know I need it. He spent part of his time yesterday with Mom, Caleb, and me in Dad's large private room in the ICU and the rest of his time in Evelyn's room in the obstetrics ward.

A huge yawn brings me back to the present, and I decide I've spent enough time in the bath for one day. The warm water is starting to get cold anyway. How is it that I'm tired after sleeping for a good eight uninterrupted hours? I hope the prenatal vitamins give me some energy soon. I let the water out and get up. I grab the plush towel off the towel rack by the tub and thoroughly dry every inch of my body. Before I get dressed for the day, I decide to put some coconut butter lotion on. I walk into my bedroom, grab my lotion from the dresser, and retreat to the bed. I'm gently rubbing the deliciously scented luxurious cream into my small firm breasts when Tobias walks into the room.

Our eyes meet, and he leisurely runs his eyes over every inch of my still naked body. His lusty look brings an easy blush to my cheeks, and I smile coyly up at him. I take in a deep breath and tuck my hair behind my right ear, never taking my eyes off of him. The fatigue I was just experiencing moments ago is replaced with a crippling need so deep I swear these might be my last few breaths. I put the lid back on my lotion and set it on the nightstand and turn my attention back to Tobias.

I motion him to me with my finger, and he hurriedly crosses our bedroom in two giant steps and gently pushes me back on the bed. He follows me down, covering my body fully with his but he's holding himself so that even though I can feel every inch of his hard body against mine I can't feel any of his weight. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull his mouth to mine for a long, lingering kiss. I mold every delicate curve of my body to every sleek, hard muscle of his while our lips move fluidly together. I leisurely run my hands up and down his back while our tongues dance to a choreographed rhythm all their own. He moves his mouth to my neck, kissing me on the sensitive spot just below my left ear so we can both catch our breath.

I gently push on his chest, and he rolls us both so I'm lying on top of him. I straddle his waist, lean up, and kiss each of his eyelids then place a sweet little kiss on the tip of his nose. I trail little pecks down to his right ear then seductively lick all around then lightly bite the lobe, causing a groan to escape his mouth. I feel his hands everywhere at once and I let out a sigh. I sit back and smile flirtatiously at him. He sits up and his mouth crashes into mine. Oh how I love this man of mine. He kisses me fiercely until I can no longer think straight, and I break away. I put my hands on the hem of his skintight black t-shirt and slowly pull it up and over his head exposing his perfect naked chest to me.

I shove him back on the bed and plant kisses on every inch of the strong, muscular planes of his chest. Then I capture his right nipple in my mouth and circle it with my tongue. He grabs my head between his large hands, pulling me closer to him still, and I feel his manhood stir beneath me. I move my mouth to his left nipple and give it the same special treatment I just gave the right, teasing him unmercifully. I release the hard, sensitive bud from my mouth and kiss my way down his tight, muscled stomach to his narrow waist. I grasp the waistband of his sweatpants and pull them and his boxer briefs down and off, freeing his impressive manhood. I put my mouth on his navel and slowly French kiss it before moving my way down and kissing every inch of his lean hips and long, muscular thighs.

He manages to leverage himself up on his elbows, and when I grasp his engorged flesh at its base, he sucks a haggard breath in through his clenched teeth. My heart hammers in my chest with anticipation. I look deep into his lust-filled darkening eyes as I flit my tongue out of my mouth and barely touch the tip of his manhood. Refusing to break our gaze, I lightly lick up and down his shaft then circle the highly sensitive ridge around the head making him close his eyes. A raspy groan escapes from deep inside his throat, and a smile curves the corner of my lips. I continue my worship until every inch of his rigid manhood has been bathed in my saliva at least twice. His arms will no longer hold him up, and he collapses back on the bed, gripping the bed sheets tightly in his big hands as I move over his hard length and take him in my mouth, inch by hard, hot, pulsating inch. Once I move as far as I can, I pull my head back, sucking hard, teasing the underside of his length with my tongue. I hear his harsh and uneven breath, and it turns me on and drives me further. I work my mouth and hand into a synchronized rhythm, loving him. When I feel Tobias getting close, he grabs me by the shoulders, pulls me up, and kisses me hard.

"Tobias," I say while he is kissing my neck. He pulls back and looks into my eyes. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Tris," he roughly says. I recognize the hunger I'm feeling mirrored in his lust-filled eyes, and he rolls us so he's lying between my outstretched thighs. He lets his hand lazily glide down my body, raising goosebumps everywhere his fingertips lightly touch. He softly grazes the fullness of my left breast then slowly travels further down to the heat between my legs driving me absolutely crazy. He gently enters one finger into my moist center, testing my readiness. He withdraws just as slowly and places his throbbing manhood at my entrance and steadily pushes an inch or two at a time into my tight depths. Once he is fully seated within my walls he stills himself for a while, letting me get used to the fullness. It is still a very snug fit.

I put both my hands around his neck and firmly grasp his hips with my thighs. He pulls almost all the way out of me before trusting slowly home, eliciting a moan from deep in my throat. I cling to him as he unhurriedly pulls his length almost entirely out, and I move my hips up to meet each and every one of his deliberate thrusts. The powerful emotions I'm feeling combined with the crazy pregnancy hormones are beginning to overwhelm me, and tears stream down my face, pooling just above my ears, wetting my hair. When Tobias looks into my eyes he is completely taken aback and stills himself completely.

"What's wrong?" he asks, concern alighting his face. "Are you okay? I'm not hurting you am I?" I shake my head at him.

"No, you're not hurting me," I manage to say through the tears, my voice trembling. "I just love you so much." I search for the hand that's next to my shoulder. When I find it, I lace our fingers together. I put my other hand on the small of his back and hold him tight. "I think it's just the hormones. Please don't stop, Tobias. I need you ... I need this." I manage a little smile then lift my hips to meet his and grind them together. I want him so much in this moment, I'm nearly delirious. He returns my smile and pulls nearly out then sets a quicker pace this time. I call out with each of his powerful thrusts, feeling myself climb toward the peak of some unknown summit that promises to be nothing less than spectacular.

"Tobias ... oh ... oh ... oh, God ... please!" I plead. I rock beneath him as he thrusts harder and faster into my tight, wet womanhood. I feel myself climbing higher and higher until I have nowhere else to go but over the edge, and I call out just as he places his mouth on mine, capturing my scream of fulfillment. He continues his frenzied thrusting, kissing my mouth, and touching me everywhere he can at once. When he buries his head in my hair and groans in blissful anguish, I draw in much needed oxygen.

He holds himself above me, not moving and worriedly looks into my eyes. He slowly moves his mouth down and kisses tears away that are once again escaping my eyes. He must think I've lost my mind. _I _think I've lost my mind. I've never cried during sex before. He rolls us on our sides, still joined, and holds me to him, and I try to get my emotions under control but it doesn't work. After I cry into his naked chest for five full minutes, I tip my head back and look into his adoring eyes. I go to open my mouth but Tobias puts a finger over my lips.

"I love you more than anything. You know that," he says. "We'll get through this." At that I manage a genuine smile.

"Yes, we will," I say. I run my hand up and down his muscled arm then join my hand with his. "I should apologize though. You probably think I'm crazy." He starts to say something but this time I stop him. "You'll want to take my apology now while I'm offering it to you. There might be a time when I do something dreadful and don't think twice about it." He laughs and lightly puts his lips to mine and kisses me gently.

"Okay. You're right. I accept your apology," he says. "But I don't think you're crazy, not at all. I think you're just a little emotional." He kisses the top of my shoulder then looks at me again. "I also think you are amazing ... selfless ... wonderful ... womanly ... sexy ... perfect ... beautiful ... mine." With each pause he kisses up my shoulder blade to my neck. On mine, he is passionately kissing me again. We are both smiling as we move our lips together perfectly. I break away and look at him.

"You are the best thing that's ever happened to me," I say, emotion thick in my voice. "Thank you for letting me sleep in this morning, and thank you for making love to me. I really needed both." I manage to roll us so I'm resting on top of him. I suddenly feel the familiar flames of desire, and I look toward the clock. We still have plenty of time before visiting hours start at the hospital. I'd rather love him than eat any day. I sit up and grind my hips to his. He sits up, and I wrap my arms around his neck.

"Tris?" he say. The look in his eye catches me off guard.

"I want you," I whisper, tears forming in my eyes again, suddenly feeling rejected. Damn hormones. "Don't you want me?" A long, deep groan escapes his throat right before he forcefully puts his lips on mine and kisses me savagely.

"You know I want you. I _always_ want you," he breathlessly says with a catch in his voice when he breaks away. "Please don't cry again. You're breaking my heart."

"Then make love to me, Tobias," I say, holding on to him for dear life, tears running down my face. I can feel him growing longer and harder inside me as I massage him from the inside. I see him look at the clock, and he groans again.

"Anything you want, love," he says, caressing the side of my face. "Anything you want." He flips us so I'm lying beneath him, and he pulls out of me. My eyes go wide and a pout crosses my lips but he just grins, shakes his head at me, and places his lips on the sensitive spot beneath my ear. "If I'm going to make love to you again, I'm going to do it right, Tris." Anticipation stirs in the pit of my stomach at his words, and I relax back into the mattress.

He kisses my neck and around my ear for what seems like hours as my hands roam over every rippling muscle of his firm back remembering every memorized detail of his factions tattoo before he slowly moves down my body. He places sweet kisses on every inch of my chest and stomach, carefully avoiding my aching breasts, causing me to squirm beneath him in sweet agony. Finally he turns his attention where I want it, cupping a small rounded breast in each hand. He raises his eyes to mine as he gently kneads the throbbing, tender flesh.

"Your fuller ... bigger. I'm surprised I didn't notice before," he says with appreciation in his eyes, teasing me with his gifted touch. "Do they hurt? I think I heard somewhere they can hurt when you're pregnant."

"A little," I breathlessly admit. He loosens his hold on me but, thankfully, doesn't let go. "It still feels really good when you touch me like that, Tobias. Please don't stop." He smiles at me right before he captures an erect nipple in his mouth and gently starts sucking on it. I let out a sigh as I feel pulsating desire between my thighs at his action. He stops the gentle pulling and slowly circles his talented tongue all around the aching, sensitive bud like it's the best thing he's ever tasted before grasping it between his teeth and gently nibbling.

"Oh shit," I say, gasping at the sweet torture. I tangle my fingers in his hair and hold him to me. "Please don't stop. It feels _so_ good." Soon he turns his attention to my other breast and sucks the nipple into his wet, hot mouth. He nibbles, licks, sucks, and teases until I'm writhing against him. He releases the aching bud from his mouth and kisses all around it. Every once in a while he darts his playful tongue out and lightly licks my quivering, throbbing bud, eliciting a long, guttural moan from my parched throat.

I feel his right hand leisurely glide from the breast he's been fondling to my waist. When he moves to caress the inside of my thigh a shiver moves through my small body. A loud whimper escapes my lips when his middle finger finds my moist center and enters me. His callused thumb finds my swollen, aching nubbin and starts to lightly circle it. He adds a second finger and picks up the in-and-out pace, and my hips thrust up to meet his hand. He drops kisses along my chest, stomach, hips, and thighs as he continues to move further down my body until he is lying between my open legs. He adds a third finger, speeds the pace further, and sucks my hard, aching, sensitive bundle of nerves into his mouth, causing me to arch myself toward his hot mouth. He wraps his free arm around my leg, keeping me in place as he swirls his hot, wet tongue around my nubbin, moving me closer to the summit I've been climbing to for what seems like hours. When he lightly nibbles on the aching bundle of nerves, I can't hold back any longer. My back arches as I cry out with a dizzying explosion of ecstasy. I flop back on the bed trying to catch my breath. When the fog of release lifts I realize Tobias is above me looking down into my eyes with love radiating out of his. He lowers his lips to mine as he rolls us over so I'm on top of him.

"Make love to me, Tris," he huskily says, caressing my cheek. I adore that he trusts and loves me enough to relinquish his control from time to time. I sit up so I'm straddling his hips, move myself back and forth over his rock hard, pulsating rod, and his eyes lustfully roam over my bareness. He reaches up and places his hands where his eyes were just a mere second ago and cups my aching breasts. I reach beneath me, grasp his engorged manhood, and place him at the entrance of my womanhood. I ease myself down on every rock hard inch until he's buried deep inside me for the second time this morning. I lean forward placing my hands on either side of his head and place my lips on his in a satisfying, passionate kiss as I slowly rise and fall on his impressive manhood.

I set a slow, unhurried pace as Tobias moves to take my swaying breasts in his mouth causing a mini explosion of gratification deep within me. I continue to press myself down on his hard shaft, meeting his every upward thrust, increasing our tempo. He frees my breasts and slowly glides his hands down my body to rest on my hips. Our breath is coming shallow and fast as he helps move me up and down a little faster on his length.

I move hard against him for what seems like hours, my orgasm building. When the summit is once again within reach, I move frantically on him as he thrusts his hips savagely upward causing me to slip into some unknown abyss. I continue riding him as I quiver around his length causing him to swell further as he thrusts into me with wild abandon. He shakes violently beneath me as he releases himself into my depths. I continue moving on him until his final spasm of relief then I collapse on his hard, muscular body. When my breathing returns to normal, I prop my chin on my folded hands and look into Tobias' dark blue, tender eyes.

"You're too good to me," I say, glancing at the clock. "I think we better take a shower so we can get to the hospital." He laughs a little.

"I don't think so," he says with a smirk. "You're having trouble keeping your hands to yourself this morning." Since my good mood has been restored, I laugh with him.

"Do you mind?" I ask. "Me not keeping my hands to myself, I mean."

"Not at all," he says. "But unless you are actually _wanting_ to leave the bedroom today, we're going to have to stop."

"_Fine_," I say with a pronounced, exaggerated pout. "Go take your shower!"


	13. Chapter 13

Tobias heads toward the bathroom to start his shower while I decide which outfit to wear to the hospital to see Dad. It's a little cooler than it has been lately so I chose a long-sleeved black and gray striped t-shirt and a pair of black stretchy yoga pants. I decide to pair these with my favorite pair of fur-lined ankle boots, and since it looks like rain, my shiny black rain slicker. I lay them across the stripped down bed before I go into the bathroom. I know I promised him separate showers this morning since he's worried I won't be able to keep my hands to myself but I decide to throw caution to the wind and open the shower door and step inside. When a gust of cool air hits him, he looks my way.

"I promise I'll be good," I say, looking coyly up at him through my lowered lashes. "You're almost done anyway, aren't you?" He nods his head at me, all the while looking at my naked form, before stepping out of the way so I can get under the spray of hot water. "Can you get my back?" I hand him the almost empty bottle of coconut body wash after I put some on my nylon pouf. He takes it, and I hear him put some in his large hand. He gently applies the deliciously scented gel to my shoulders and back as I lather up the rest of my body. I then step under the hot water spray to let the soap rinse off me.

"Thank you," I say to him. "Would you like me to get your back?"

"That would be nice," he says. I get his shower gel off the small shelf and put some in my hand. I rub them together into a rich, thick lather and put my hands on his shoulders then thoroughly clean his back.

"There you go," I say. "I told you I could be good." When he's done rinsing himself he slowly bends his head down and places his lips on mine, careful not to stoke the flames of desire, and kisses me gently. He releases me a few minutes later. Before stepping out of the shower, he runs the back of his fingertips down my cheeks and smiles brightly at me.

"I'm going to get dressed and start breakfast while you finish your shower," he says. "Don't take too long. I love you."

"I love you, too," I say as he steps into the cool air of our bathroom. I turn my attention back to the shower to finish my daily routine. After I rinse the conditioner out of my hair, I turn off the water. The minute I open the shower door a wave of nausea unlike anything I've ever felt before hits me full force. I hurry out of the shower, landing on my knees just in time as I retch into the stool. I hear quick footsteps behind me and know Tobias is witnessing my humiliation. He kneels down beside me and rubs my back as I get sick two more times. Then the nausea disappears as quickly as it came on. I sit back on the cool tile floor as Tobias gets up and gets me a cool washcloth to wipe off my clammy face.

"Are you alright?" he asks, concern clear in his dark eyes.

"I think I just had my first bout of morning sickness," I say. "Christina has talked to me about it a little. It literally came out of nowhere." He helps me to my feet so I can brush my teeth. I'm careful at first not to set off my gag reflex. I don't want to get sick again. "I'm not very hungry. Do you think you could just fix me some toast this morning? We'll see if that stays with me." He smiles at me then kisses my forehead.

"Of course," he says. We walk out into the hallway together. I feel his eyes on me as I turn to go to our bedroom. I look over my shoulder at him.

"Go," I say. "I'm okay. I promise." His hovering when I fell off the path and later when I had the flu comes rushing back to me. I loved that he wanted to take care of me, but it got old very fast. I remember feeling like I was suffocating at times. I hope I can keep my emotions intact and not blow up at him when he's just trying to be nice ... overprotective but nice. He slowly turns and walks toward the stairs, and I go and get dressed in the outfit I laid out. I forgo my regular makeup routine in favor of a freshly cleansed face. I put styling product in my damp hair, dry, and style it, and go downstairs to eat my toast. He's made himself a couple scrambled eggs, which look really good to me. I wonder if I can hold them down.

"You want some?" he says noticing me eyeing his plate. I look into his eyes and nod. He slides his plate to me and gets up to make some more.

"Thank you, Tobias," I say. I slowly eat the fluffy deliciousness before me, savoring each buttery bite. I then slowly eat the toast.

"How are you feeling?" he asks. "Think you're going to keep that down?" I gauge how I'm feeling.

"I think so," I say. I lean over and place my lips on his cheek and kiss him lightly.

"What was that for?" he asks, putting another bite of eggs into his mouth.

"Do I need a reason?" I ask, cocking my head to one side. I rest my chin on my hand and lean on the island, staring at him.

"No," he says with a smile. "Are you going to stare at me while I eat? You're kind of creeping me out." He says the last sentence very slowly, trying not to piss me off I imagine.

"Thank you for giving me your eggs," I say, not taking my eyes off of him. I study every detail of his handsome face ... the spare upper lip ... the fuller lower lip ... the faint hollow beneath his cheekbones ... the long eyelashes ... the hooked nose ... the strong jaw ... the ears that stick out just a bit too much for the shape of his head ... the scar on his chin ... the turned down corners of his mouth ... his deep-set, gorgeous dark blue eyes. I wonder how many of these traits our baby will have. I know I want Peanut to look more like his or her father than me. It wouldn't be fair to give my little peanut my gawky features.

"Beatrice Grace Prior," he says and my eyes come back into focus. He's looking at me very intently. "You haven't heard a word I've said, have you? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Sorry," I say, absentmindedly moving my hands down to cover my abdomen. "I was just thinking about the baby." His eyes soften immediately. "I was just wondering what Peanut will look like."

"Oh," he says, a smile spreading over his face. He glides his large hand gracefully down the side of my cheek then moves it down and joins it with mine. "I hope, one day, I have a daughter who looks exactly like you because she would be the most beautiful girl in the world. Well, second only to you." I want to argue with him. The way he sees me is mystifying.

"I basically was just thinking the same thing, except hoping our children looked exactly like you," I say with a smile. "Shall we go? If we leave right now, we should make it to his room just in time for visiting hours." He smiles at me, and I can tell he has something to say. "What?"

"Of course we can leave right now but you're the one who made us late. Don't forget that," he says with a chuckle, kissing my cheek. "Do you want to walk with me to get the car or wait at the curb for me to pick you up? I don't want you to get too tired."

"I want to walk with you," I say, reaching over and wrapping my arms around his neck. I can't help myself. I'm feeling exceptionally lovey-dovey today. I pull his mouth to mine for a loving kiss. "Have I told you how much I love you today? If I have, I'll say it again. I love you very much, Tobias Eaton."

"I love you, too, Tris," he says, moving his mouth back to mine. He pulls away from me sooner than I want and my lips automatically form a pout. "Come on. We need to go. You want to see your father, don't you?" At the mention of my father, it's like someone slaps me across my face. I nod at him.

Tobias takes my hand, and we quickly walk to the underground garage to retrieve the car. Before we leave he shoots a couple texts to Will and Tori telling them we're leaving for the hospital and won't be back until late tonight. He also double checks that the paperwork Ethan Black needs to sign is still in the car where he put it last night before we leave. Soon we are headed into the center of the city.

"I almost forgot to tell you I gave in to Uriah and Marlene and told them we would be at their Candor or Dauntless party Friday night," he says. "They've been bugging me almost nonstop. I told them we wouldn't be there until after 10:00 p.m. and could only stay a couple hours because of Tyler. I asked Avery if she could watch him. I wanted to make sure she didn't already have plans. I hope that's okay."

"Honestly, a Candor or Dauntless party is the last thing I want to do, Tobias," I tersely say, furrowing my eyebrows at him.

"I'm sure that's the truth, Tris, but we've both had nothing but stress this week. We _need_ to blow off some steam. I think a couple rounds of Candor or Dauntless is a great way to do that," he says. "A few hours with our friends isn't going to kill either one of us." I cross my arms over my chest and stare out the side window, pouting. He lets me. We drive the rest of the way to the hospital in silence. After a few minutes we pull into the parking structure by the emergency department. I let out a long sigh then look at Tobias.

"I'm sorry," I softly say. "You're right. A few hours relaxing and playing with our friends isn't going to kill me."

"I'm glad to hear it," he says. "I'm also sorry I made the decision without talking with you but I thought you would try to talk me out of it."

"You're right," I say. "I would have. Sometimes it's annoying how well you know me."

"I'll remember you said that," he says with a chuckle. He secures the important documents we'll need this evening in the oversized glove compartment and locks the car after we get out. We enter the emergency department and take the elevator up to the third floor where the ICU is located then walk to my dad's room. I stop in my tracks and Tobias runs right into me nearly knocking me down. I'm shocked to see Dad sitting up in bed drinking orange juice through a straw with some assistance from my mom.

"Dad," I say. He looks my way and manages a small lopsided grin. I run to him and carefully put my head against his chest and cry happy tears as he pats the back of my head.

"Beatrice," he slowly says. "Don't cry, honey. I'm going to be alright." When the tears dry, I sit back in the chair Mom obviously has been sleeping in and look into his swollen, blackened eyes.

"I am _so_ happy you are finally awake. I was so worried about you," I say, wiping the remaining tears away. Then I look at my mom and add, "When did they take him out of the coma? How long has he been awake?"

"They took the final sedation off last night," she says. "He woke up a couple hours ago. I thought about calling you and giving you the good news but I decided I would let it be a surprise." Her natural spark is back knowing that he's going to be alright.

"Andrew," Tobias says from right behind me, "how are you feeling, sir? You had us all very worried."

"There is no need to call me sir, Four," he says, speaking slowly. "I'm feeling lucky to be alive." I know my father. He could be on fire right now and wouldn't say a single word to let anyone know he was in any discomfort. Huh. Tobias is a lot like my dad. I wonder why I haven't noticed that before.

"Do you remember anything at all about the assault, Dad?" I ask, trying not to get my hopes up. He probably doesn't remember much. Head injuries are tricky. I remember Tobias'.

"I'm afraid the last thing I remember is having lunch with you, Four, Tyler, and your mother on Sunday afternoon," he says. "I've tried to remember but it hurts my head."

"Don't try to remember," Tobias says. "If the memories are going to come back, they'll come back on their own. I know this from experience, Andrew. Until my memory came back, all trying to remember did was give me a severe headache. Have the doctors given an update on your condition?"

"The swelling has completely resolved," Mom says. "They told me the brain bruise is looking better, and the skull fracture is healing as expected. The doctors expect him to make a full recovery but they want to keep him here until Friday to make sure there are no unexpected complications. They are talking about discharging him Saturday morning. The doctor also said almost exactly what you just said, Four, about the memory loss. His memory might or might not come back, and he told Andrew to try and not dwell on it."

"Have there been any updates this morning from Matthew or Jonah as to the investigation," I say. We haven't talked to purple hair or snake tattoo yet today.

"They haven't checked in with me yet," Mom says. "Maybe there has been a development."

"I want to thank you for the assistance of your men," Dad says with a little chuckle. It's good to hear him laugh. "They are scaring everyone they talk to." This makes _me_ laugh. I remember the first time I saw purple hair and snake tattoo the morning after the initiation rankings were announced and Tobias and I made our relationship public knowledge. They were the two biggest, scariest Dauntless members I had ever seen. Now I know they are just big puppy dogs and unless provoked wouldn't hurt a fly.

"They're harmless," I say. "I didn't think so when I first met them but now that I've gotten to know them, they're both just overgrown babies ... and if anyone _ever_ repeats that to them, I will deny it." Laughter fills the large room just as the brilliant sun comes out from behind a dark storm cloud, flooding the room with its exquisite light, raising our mood even more. "Where's Caleb?"

"He hasn't been in to check on your father yet this morning," Mom says, worry flashing momentarily in her sparkling eyes. "I'm sure he'll be here any second."

"I think I'm going to go see Evelyn for a little while and give you some time with your family," Tobias says.

"They're your family too," I whisper.

"I know," he murmurs in my ear. "It's a privilege to be a part of your family, Tris. I wouldn't know what a loving family looked like if I didn't have you." He leans over and gives me a quick peck on my lips, tells me he loves me, then walks out of the room.

"He's been spending a lot of time with Evelyn, hasn't he?" my mom asks.

"Yes," I say. "He's worried about the baby so he visits her as often as he can."

"Do you think it's a possibility they are trying to mend their relationship?" she asks. I nod slightly.

"I think part of him wants nothing more than to have a normal mother/son relationship with Evelyn but spending time with her is extremely hard for him," I say. "I imagine he doesn't want to get too close because he's afraid she will up and leave him again. That would be my fear. He doesn't talk about it much though, and I've learned never to try to pull any information out of him. When he's ready to share, he will."

"You have a problem with her though," she states. She's very perceptive. I thought my answer was very diplomatic. I stare out the window for a moment before I answer.

"I have a hard time with the fact she left him in the first place," I say. "I don't understand the kind of woman who could leave her child, and she's done it multiple times. I know it's probably selfish of me not to forgive her, but she hurt him. I don't think I can ever forgive her for that." My mom smiles brightly at me.

"You are going to be a wonderful mother, Beatrice," she says just as Caleb walks in the room. Upon seeing Dad awake, he too stops in his tracks.

"You're awake," he says, relief plain on his face. He looks more like the Caleb I've known all my life and less like the stranger who has been hanging around the hospital the past few days. "Why didn't someone call me?"

"We wanted it to be a surprise," Mom says with a warm smile on her face. "He just woke up a few hours ago. Isn't that excellent news?"

"Yes, it is," he says. "Do you remember anything about the attack?"

"I'm afraid I don't, Caleb," Dad says. "The last thing I can remember is having lunch on Sunday afternoon. The doctors tell me memory loss is perfectly normal in this kind of situation. They also tell me that the amnesia could be permanent or my memory could come back at any time. I was also told not to stress about what I can't remember. I'm confident the investigation will get to the bottom of things."

"I wish you could have remembered," he says with a sigh. His eyes slide to mine, and he gives me a strange look. He had to have heard what Mom said just as he came into the room. I wonder what's going through his mind right now.

"Why did Mom just say you are going to be a wonderful mother?" he asks, his face dead serious. I've never seen him look quite like this before. I stare at him with my mouth slightly ajar. I have no idea what to tell him. Do I tell him the truth?

"Because we are going to be parents," Tobias slowly says after shutting the door behind him.


	14. Chapter 14

I watch as my beloved brother turns a disturbingly pale shade of white right before he turns bright red with fury. His eyes are shooting daggers at Tobias, and he has a disbelieving look on his face. This is not the way I wanted to tell him he's going to be an uncle. I get up from the chair I've been sitting in and cautiously approach my big brother, and Tobias moves to make sure I'm not in any danger. Usually I would tell him I can take care of myself, but Caleb's look can only be described as murderous.

"Caleb," I slowly say. He turns his seething eyes toward me. I was hoping ... no, _expecting_ his expression would soften once he looked away from Tobias but it hasn't. I expected this reaction from my father, not my brother. "Four and I have some good news. At least we think it's good. You're going to be an uncle ... twice."

"What do you mean twice?" he asks, confusion filling his features.

"I told you Evelyn is pregnant and staying here in the hospital because of complications," I say. "What I didn't tell you is that Four and I are going to adopt that baby. She doesn't think she can take care of her properly since she is factionless."

"She's having twins?" he asks hopefully.

"No," I say, shaking my head. "I'm pregnant." I begin to tell him about the death serum but he cuts me off.

"_You_," he spits. He takes a step toward Tobias, and I automatically maneuver my way in between them. I will _not_ have them fighting. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Dad straighten up in his hospital bed and Mom come around to stand close to me in case there is a physical altercation. "I always knew you were a son of a bitch. You got her _pregnant_?"

"That's enough, Caleb," my Dad says. "There were extenuating circumstances. You need to hear them out." His look changes to shock hearing what Dad has to say.

"You know about this and are okay with it," he says.

"Your mother and I have given our opinions to Beatrice and Four. They know our concerns, fears, and hopes," he slowly says. "After discussing it with them, yes, I'm okay with it, and so is your mother. They have our blessing in all they do even though they do not need it."

"Wow," he says. He drags his eyes to mine. "You actually let this big brute touch you, take away your innocence. You're not my sister anymore."

"I wasn't expecting this kind of reaction from you," I say, anger coursing through my veins. I'm happy for the rage or I would be bawling like a baby right now.

"I can't believe you want to have children with this ... this monster," he says, eyeing Tobias. "What if he turns out exactly like his good for nothing father?" I gasp then take two steps forward, shaking Tobias' hand off my arm, and get in Caleb's face.

"If you _ever_ say anything like that about Tobias again, I won't hesitate to kick your ass," I calmly say. "I'm Dauntless. I'm a soldier who has been trained to kill. I _can_ and I will put you in your place. I beat a girl nearly twice my size during initiation, and I wasn't _half_ as pissed at her as I am at you right now." He actually takes a step back. My calm demeanor must be more threatening that yelling. I'll have to remember that. "There is something you don't know, Caleb. I got pregnant on accident. I was trying to tell you earlier but you flew off the handle. What Cameron gave me New Year's Eve had an effect no one knew to look for. It erased my birth control shot allowing me to get pregnant." I had every intention of telling him about the death serum but I thought twice about it after seeing his reaction. I may be his sister but he's Erudite now, and I think _they_ are his main priority. I could be wrong, but I don't think he would hesitate to turn me into the Erudite scientists if he learned I survived the death serum even if it was just to get me away from Tobias.

"You shouldn't be having sex at your age," he says. "You're still just a little girl. Can't you see he is taking advantage of you?" Blinding rage flows through my veins. I take a step forward and level a punch directly at his throat even before thinking. It happens so fast, Tobias doesn't have time to hold me back. I hear both my parents gasp at this turn of events as Caleb staggers backwards, holding his throat and gasping for air.

"I told you not to talk about him that way," I scream, angry tears running down my face. "Why can't you be happy for us? We are thrilled. I want my family to be happy too, but if you can't be happy for us, I don't ever want to see you again."

"Beatrice," my mother says in her calming voice. "Honey, you need to relax. Being this upset isn't good for you or the baby." Tobias reluctantly releases me, and Mom guides me back to the chair I was sitting in just a few minutes ago. "Breathe." I do as she says, breathing in and out like Tobias taught me. "That's it. You're doing a good job." I feel the tears drying and sanity slowly returning. Oh great, now guilt is threatening to crush me.

"I'm sorry I hit you, Caleb. I did warn you though," I say getting up from my chair. I start pacing back and forth in front of Dad's bed. "I think it's time all of you start looking at me differently. I am _not_ a little girl anymore." I make eye contact with Dad, Mom, and finally Caleb. "I am a woman who has a full-time job I love as _leader_ of one of the five factions. A child wouldn't be trusted to do that. I have a seat on the council, and I've never had one complaint. I've been entrusted by social services to take care of my two-year-old almost brother-in-law. Do you think they would have just handed him over to an immature kid who has no responsibilities and no drive? I'm getting married in a little less than two months, and I'm going to be a mother about a month after that. I really need you to stop looking at me like fragile little Beatrice who couldn't take care of herself and needed help at every corner. I'm Tris now. I'm confident. I'm strong. And I'm incredible happy. This is the life _I _chose to live, the life I _want_ to live. Please stop _fighting_ me on this." I stop pacing and gently sit on the end of Dad's bed. We are all very quiet for a time.

"I'm sorry, Beatrice. I don't know what came over me," Caleb says. "I know you aren't a little girl anymore. It's hard for me to let go. It's been my job as your older brother to protect you. I thought I was still doing that."

"I'm not sure I'm ready to accept your apology," I say, not quite ready to forgive.

"Four, I shouldn't have said what I did," he says. "I may not know you very well, but from what I've seen, I know there is no way you would ever do anything to hurt my sister. You may not remember this but one day at upper levels shortly before you left Abnegation you helped a young red-headed Amity girl who was being bullied by a group of Candor boys. You caught their attention, put yourself in the line of fire, and got them to stop tormenting her then did nothing to defend yourself when they started throwing punches." Tobias blushes a little as Caleb tells the story. "Others, including myself, stood around and did absolutely nothing to help her _or_ you. I was ashamed then, I'm ashamed now. I really am sorry. I never should have made a comparison to your father. That was unfair of me."

"No, you shouldn't have, Caleb," I say. "He is absolutely nothing at all like Marcus." I know one of Tobias' greatest fears is turning into Marcus. Caleb couldn't have said a more hurtful thing to him.

"Tris, it's okay," Tobias slowly says. "Caleb, I strive each and every day not to be like my father. You are right on one account, I would _never_ do anything to hurt Tris or our children. I have to say that your lack of confidence hurts. Tris, I'm going back to see Evelyn. I'll meet you here at 3:00 p.m., and we can get some lunch." He turns and immediately goes out in the hallway. I jump up off the bed and follow him.

"Hey," I say, walking toward him. He stops, turns, and looks at me with a pained expression. "Please don't dwell on what he said. You are _nothing_ like Marcus. You know that, I know that. I wouldn't be with you if you were." He hangs his head.

"But, Tris," he starts to say but I cut him off.

"No buts, Tobias Eaton," I whisper. "You are not your father. You never have been, you never will be. I know what was in your fear landscape, and I wish I could take it away. I wish I could take all your pain and fear away." He looks into my eyes, and I see a tiny spark of hope.

"Thank you," he says, pulling me into his arms. I wrap mine around his waist. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I say. We cling to each other for another minute before he lets me go.

"I'm alright," he says with a warm smile on his face. "Enjoy your time with your family. Try not to argue with Caleb anymore."

"I can make no promises," I say. He chuckles, kisses my forehead, then turns and leaves me.

"Hey," he says from down the hallway. "Nice follow through on that jab. It was just like I taught you." I grin and shake my head at him. I think back to initiation and his instructions at the punching bags as he gets on the elevator. That was the second time he touched me. Desire again makes itself known in the pit of my stomach but I shake it off. I go back to my Dad's room, sit in the chair next to his bed, and glare at Caleb.

"I said I was sorry, Beatrice," he says with actual sorrow in his voice. "What else can I say?"

"You've made my life harder than it needs to be," I say. "It's going to take me a while to forgive you, Caleb."

"What do you mean?" he asks.

"What concept are you having problems with?" I ask spitefully.

"Making _your_ life harder," he says. I stare at him for a moment, not sure if I should tell him any of Tobias' secrets. I probably shouldn't have opened my mouth but I'm still so frustrated with him.

"One of his greatest fears is turning into his father," I softly say. "He battles with himself daily over this fear just like he said. You just made it worse by validating his irrational thoughts. I'm the one who has to talk him out of those beliefs and make him see he's nothing at all like Marcus. You really don't know how good we had it growing up until you take a walk in someone else's shoes. I've done it, _literally_. I've been inside his head, _in_ his fear landscape. I'm surprised he's as good of a person as he is with what his parents put him through. I've said way more than I should. You must _never_ repeat any of this. Promise me. I felt it was the only way to make you understand just how much your words hurt him."

"I really am sorry," he says, hanging his head. "If it makes you feel any better Mom and Dad just chewed me out for how I acted."

"Well, maybe a little," I say, a small grin crossing my lips. "Mom and Dad, I need to apologize to you for my behavior. No matter how angry I got, I shouldn't have hit Caleb. It didn't solve anything. Caleb, I am sorry. I wish I could blame the whole mess on hormones but it really happened because you pissed me off."

"Language, Beatrice! I swear I raised you two better than this," Mom says. "I accept your apology. You didn't do any permanent damage, and you were entitled to your anger in that moment." She gives a disproving look to Caleb, and he shrinks back a little. Dad just nods in my direction.

"I accept your apology," Caleb says. "I hope you can accept mine soon."

We sit around Dad's bed for the next hour talking about everything under the sun, except his assault. We want to give his brain time to heal so maybe he can remember exactly what happened that awful morning. I tell them I had my first bout of morning sickness that morning and my wedding dress is in, and I can't wait for my fitting. I also tell them the father of Evelyn's baby is prepared to sign away his parental rights letting us move forward with the adoption, without confirming his identity as Ethan Black. Caleb tells us he has a first date Saturday night with Cara, who just happens to be the older sister of one of my very best friends, Will. He beams at us when he gives us this news. It's probably just me but three out of the four times I've met her, I've wanted to punch her in the face, so I wonder what he sees in her but I'm polite enough not to ask. Mom tells us she's been volunteering at the redistribution center in the basement of the Hub once a week and reading to children at the library on Saturday mornings now instead of shelving books on Saturday afternoons.

"I hate to bring this up now, but I feel like I don't have another choice," Caleb slowly says to Dad. "What do you know about the anonymous reports coming into Erudite?" Immediately I see Dad's face fall.

"You know about the reports?" I ask, not wanting to believe it. "Why didn't you say anything about them?"

"Because none of the reports are true," he sternly says. "At first I didn't even give them a second thought. I believed if I ignored them, they would go away. Unfortunately they haven't, and they are getting more and more salacious."

"I have a problem. Some of the higher ups at Erudite are getting antsy and want to release the reports," Caleb says. "I have done everything I can to get them to stall but I don't know what else I can do."

"How can Erudite want to release reports without any evidence?" I say, anger creeping into my voice. Caleb is quiet for a long time. "Caleb?"

"I don't think they care," he says. I can tell he has something else to say but I interrupt.

"You would allow lies to be printed about your own _father_ without any proof?" I say, adrenaline racing through my veins making me madder. I get up from my chair and start pacing again. "I thought you told us you and your colleagues are trying to change Erudite for the better. This is not an improvement, Caleb. You told Four, Mom, and me you don't believe Dad has done anything wrong. How could you allow these rumors to be printed and circulated to all the factions? Is this another conspiracy against Abnegation, against our father? Does Erudite want to lead so badly they would throw an innocent man under a bus?"

"You think I haven't been busting my ass trying to make these rumors go away, _Beatrice_," he says, jumping off the end of Dad's bed, just as furious as I am now. "He's my father, too, and I don't want to see anything happen to him. You've been acting like all this is happening to you alone, and I know you've been questioning my loyalties."

"Why shouldn't I question your loyalties," I shriek. "You're Erudite now, and Erudite _hates_ Abnegation for some unknown reason."

"Why are _you_ allowed to be Dauntless and still care about Mom and Dad but me be Erudite and automatically have to hate them?" he asks, getting in my face. "It isn't fair." I take a few breaths trying to calm myself. He's right. I should apologize but something still doesn't feel quite right with him. I wish I knew what it was.

"I'm sorry for implying you don't care about Dad. I know you do," I say. "That was wrong of me." I won't concede anything else right now.

"You guys might want to hold it down," Tobias says as he comes back into the room. "I could hear you all the way down the hall. What's going on now?"

"Erudite wants to release the reports about Andrew," Mom says.

"Without proof?" Tobias asks. Caleb lets out a big huff. "What? Did I say something wrong?"

"Are you going to jump down my throat, too?" he asks, plopping down in one of the chairs circling Dad's bed.

"No," he says. "I know you are in a difficult position." I look up into Tobias' face and see him looking down at me with a disapproving look. I tear my eyes away from his before I say something I might regret later. "Has anyone suggested putting Andrew under truth serum? That would dispel the rumors." Truth serum? Why didn't I think of that? He's not Divergent, there is no way he could lie under the serum.

"No, Four. No one has mentioned truth serum," Caleb says, rubbing his hand across his face.

"Would you be opposed to being questioned under truth serum, Andrew, once the doctors clear you to do so of course?" Tobias asks. "It may be the only way to prove your innocence."

"I have no problem with that," he says. "I swear I didn't do the things they are accusing me of. I can't imagine who started these rumors. At first I thought maybe your father had something to do with them but I've known him long enough to realize this isn't his way of handling things. If he has a problem with someone, he goes right to the source. He doesn't beat around the bush, and he never enlists someone else to do his dirty work. I guess I should have realized sooner he wasn't as upstanding a guy as he pretended to be."

"What are they accusing you of, Andrew?" Mom says. "I'm ready to hear the allegations now."

"I've been accused of taking bribes and rerouting Abnegation money into personal accounts, which they apparently have proof of," he says. I stare at him before looking at Caleb. He looks like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders. That's what he's been keeping secret. They have so-called proof, and Erudite thinks that's all they need to release the reports. He really has been protecting Dad. "Someone ... I don't know who ... has taken various amounts from different Abnegation accounts and deposited it into an account under my name. When I was showed the documentation, I was flabbergasted. I'd never seen any of the records before. This is probably why Erudite wants to release all the reports."

"There is more, isn't there?" Mom asks.

"Yes, I've been accused of having an affair with the wife of another council member," he quietly says. "Natalie, I swear, I've never betrayed you. I wouldn't do that. I love you too much. That is the most ludicrous of all the accusations." I've never heard my dad tell my mom he loves her before. "I've also been accused of everything from abusing Beatrice and Caleb to stockpiling supplies, which I think are holdouts from Marcus' tenure. All I've ever done is try to be a good leader."

"I'm sorry, Caleb," I say. "You've been trying to protect him all this time, and I basically accused you of working against your own father. I hope you can forgive me."

"It's okay, Beatrice. I was under direct orders not to divulge the information about the secret account to anyone," he says. "I probably would have jumped to the same conclusions if the roles were reversed." I look at the clock on the wall and see that it's nearly 3:00 p.m., and the nasty afternoon charge nurse will be around soon to kick Caleb, Tobias, and me out of Dad's room. I'm surprised she hasn't done it already because of all the noise we've been making this afternoon.

"We better get going," I say. "Visiting hours are almost over and to tell you the truth, I'm starving." Tobias smiles brightly at me. "Caleb, would you like to join us?"

"Thank you for the offer," he says, "but I have some phone calls to make. I think the truth serum angle might hold off the leaders who outrank me. Thank you so much, Four, for suggesting it. I don't know why we didn't think of it ourselves." I give Mom and hug and kiss on the cheek and whisper another apology in her ear then turn and do the same with Dad. He kisses my cheek and tells me he loves me. Tobias takes my hands and leads me out of the room and down the hallway after Caleb leaves. Just as we are getting on the elevator to go down to the cafeteria, I see the charge nurse go into Dad's room only to find his guests have already left.


	15. Chapter 15

Tobias and I slowly make our way down a long, narrow hall next to the emergency department to the large cafeteria on the ground floor of the hospital to grab a quick lunch before our 4:00 p.m. meeting in Evelyn's room with Ethan Black. Once they have both signed the parental rights termination paperwork, I will feel so much better about the adoption. We both get a delicious-looking hamburger, pasta salad loaded with fresh veggies, cooked apples with cinnamon, milk, and coffee then find a cozy table in the corner of the large dining room by an oversized window and sit down. We eat quickly knowing we still have to go all the way out to our car, which is parked in the underground garage and get the paperwork that's locked in the glove compartment then walk to Evelyn's room on the fifth floor.

He asks how I'm doing, and I give him the simple standby, "I'm fine," which isn't entirely true. I'm worried about my dad for so many reasons. He's still in the hospital with a head injury and memory loss, and Erudite wants to take advantage of the situation and release false reports claiming he's a criminal. In my opinion, some people at Erudite want the other factions to think Dad deserved the beating he got. I'm worried what allegations of an affair, even if they are false, will do to my parent's marriage. How would I handle someone trying to tell the entire city that Tobias was being unfaithful to me? Would my faith in him falter? I would like to think it wouldn't but I remember how I reacted to learning of Evelyn's existence, before I knew she was his mother. I was insecure enough to think he must have another girlfriend somewhere in the city because I knew I wasn't enough for him. I'm ashamed I ever thought that.

I'm also extremely upset with Caleb. We've never fought like we did today. I still can't believe how he reacted to the news that I'm expecting a baby. His reaction was that of a domineering father, not a protective older brother. I can forgive everything he said to me but I'm having trouble letting go everything he said to Tobias. It seems strange that deep down my father and brother, two of the most important men in my life, really don't seem to like Tobias all that much no matter what they say. Dad punched him in the face when he found out we were engaged, and Caleb hoped he wouldn't turn out to be just like Marcus. I wonder how he could have possibly picked up on the one insecurity Tobias has and beats himself up over.

I'm also upset with myself over how I acted with Caleb. I know I'm upset with him and deservedly so but that doesn't give me the right to act the way I did. I basically sucker punched him right in the throat. It felt good in the moment but the minute I sat down and thought about what I'd done, I felt extremely guilty. I apologized to him but I'm not sure it was enough. I also had fleeting thoughts he was somehow involved in Dad's attack. I'm glad they proved to be false.

"Tris, you haven't heard a word I've said, have you?" Tobias asks with humor in his voice. My eyes focus, and I realize I'm staring into his smiling eyes.

"I'm sorry," I say. "I was just thinking about our afternoon. What did you want?"

"Do you want to walk to the car with me or stay here?" he asks. "I don't want you getting too tired. We still have a long evening in front of us." He's right, I'm already feeling fatigued but I can't stand being away from him for one minute if I don't have to be.

"I want to walk with you," I say, getting up from the table. He picks up our trash and tosses it in the garbage can as we exit the cafeteria. He takes my hand in his and leads me through the maze of halls to the underground garage where our car is parked. He gets the life-changing paperwork out of the glove compartment, and we make the familiar journey to Evelyn's room. We don't talk about anything important. We just enjoy each other's company.

We get to her room a few minutes before our scheduled meeting time, and Ethan Black is already here, sitting on the edge of her bed, holding one of her hands in his and caressing her cheek with the other. It feels like we're interrupting an intimate moment, which makes me extremely uncomfortable. I know I'm judging, but _they_ shouldn't be having intimate moments. He's married to someone else, and I momentarily wonder if she's still married to Marcus. I'm going to have to ask Tobias that question. I can't believe I've never thought of it until right now, not that knowing the answer will make any difference. She goes by her maiden name of Johnson but she's never mentioned divorce in my presence. Of course all of Abnegation and the entire city think Evelyn Eaton is dead so it's probably hard to get a divorce when you're deceased.

"Four, Beatrice," Ethan says, dropping Evelyn's hand and getting up off the bed. "I didn't hear you come in."

"We have the forms for you to sign," Tobias says, narrowing his eyes at Mr. Black. "I'm sure you would like to get this over with so you can get home to your _wife_."

"Tobias Marcus Eaton," Evelyn scolds. I always assumed his middle name was Marcus but I never asked. He moves his eyes towards her and glares. "There is no need to take that kind of tone with him. He is here doing you a favor."

"Four," I whisper, moving close to him and putting my hand on his Amity tattoo, reminding him to be nice. He looks down into my eyes but his furious expression doesn't change. "Calm down, please." I do the deep breathing exercise he taught me just days ago. He takes a couple deep breaths with me, not taking his eyes off of mine, and I see his face soften a little bit. He takes a step further into the room, and I let my hand fall away from his back. I close the heavy door, which usually sits propped open, to give us some privacy then sit in the small, uncomfortable chair I've come to know very well right next to Evelyn's bed.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Black," Tobias stiffly says. "That was uncalled for." He walks over by his mother and opens the packet he has in his hands. "Stephanie Misner from Candor is our attorney. She drafted the parental rights termination paperwork as well as the adoption documents so you both only have to be available to sign once." He pulls the documents out of the manila envelope and spreads them out on the large overbed table right in front of Evelyn. "She explained that everywhere there's a blue flag, Mr. Black, your signature goes and every red flag needs your signature, Evelyn." He pulls a black pen out of his jacket pocket and hands it to his mother. She diligently signs every line next to a red flag in both documents then hands the pen to Mr. Black. He takes his time, reading over the documents before signing them. I wonder if he's getting more out of reading them than I did. To me, it was like reading a foreign language. When he's done, he hands the paperwork back to Tobias who looks over every single page very carefully making sure no signature line has been missed.

"Does everything look in order?" Evelyn asks, eyeing Tobias hopefully.

"Yes, it does," he says. His eyes land on mine, and I see a joy in them I've only seen twice before, when I said I would marry him and when we found out I was pregnant. I smile brightly back at him knowing what he's thinking, she truly is our daughter now. "I have a question for both of you, and I want an honest answer. Do you have any reservations giving the baby to Tris and me to raise?"

"No, Tobias. I have no reservations but you already know that," Evelyn says. I look at her and notice a spark I've never seen in her eyes since I've known her. She's like a totally different person with Ethan Black here with her. She continually follows him around the room with her eyes. Anyone who looks at her can tell she is head over heels in love with him. It kind of makes me sad. He gets to live a comfortable life in a faction with his wife at home and a mistress on the side while she lives factionless, giving birth to child after child of his, one of whom she will ever truly know. My hands automatically go to my abdomen and cover my little peanut up. I can't imagine not ever knowing him or her.

"No, Four. I have zero reservations about you and Beatrice adopting her," Mr. Black says. "Evelyn and I have talked about this a lot. Our oldest daughter is out there somewhere in the city, and we will never see her or know her. I have no plans to ever interfere with your raising of this child but if I come upon you in town it will be nice to see her and know that she's okay."

"Thank you," Tobias says. "You don't know how much this means to both Tris and me that you trust us enough to raise your daughter."

"Mr. Black, may I ask you a question? It's about my father," I say.

"Of course," he says.

"Do you know anything at all about his assault?" I ask. "Mom told me you helped get him to the hospital the morning of his attack. Did you see anyone out of place or a stranger hanging around perhaps?"

"A very scary man with a tattoo of a snake wrapped around his neck asked me a lot of these same questions," he says, paling a shade or two.

"We haven't talked to Tony today," I say. "Do you mind repeating what you told him? I would appreciate it."

"Your mom knocked on my door a little after 7:00 a.m. She was frantic, and I had a hard time trying to decipher what it was she was asking me," he says. "When I saw the blood on her hands, I realized she was telling me Andrew was hurt and needed to get to the hospital as soon as possible. I grabbed the car keys, drove us to your parents' house, loaded your father in the backseat, and drove him to the hospital. During that time, I didn't see anyone and before your mother came for help, I was in my house eating breakfast and didn't hear anything. I'm sorry, Beatrice. I wish I knew something that would help."

"Thank you so much for helping him," I say, emotion thick in my voice. "My whole family appreciates it."

"You know what," he says, a strange faraway look on his face. "Marcus was standing outside his house when your mother and I were loading Andrew in my car. I just remembered that. I saw him out of the corner of my eye." Marcus, my main suspect for Dad's assault.

"Can you get in touch with Jonah or Matthew and give them this new information," I say. "It might not be anything, but I think they need all the information they can get from that morning to help solve this case."

"I'll phone Jonah when I get home," he says, a warm smile on his face that reminds me so much of Tyler that it startles me for a moment.

"Tris," Tobias says, "we should probably get going." I look at the clock and see that it's after 5:00 p.m. and Dad's visiting hours have already started.

"You don't have to come if you don't want to," I quietly say. I don't think Ethan Black or Evelyn are listening to me though, they seem to be absorbed in their own little world. He looks towards his mother and her lover and shakes his head.

"I'd rather be with you, love," he says as he runs the back of his fingertips down the side of my face from my hairline to my jaw, causing an aching desire slightly lower than my navel.

"Okay," I say.

"Evelyn, Mr. Black," Tobias politely says and they both look our direction. "Tris and I are going to visit her father now. Thank you both for signing the paperwork. You don't know how much it means to both of us."

"All I ask is that you take good care of her," Mr. Black says.

"We will," I say. "Goodnight. We'll be back tomorrow to visit, Evelyn."

"Goodnight, Tobias, Beatrice," she says. I wonder why it always seems like she says my name as an expletive. I also wonder if we will ever bury the hatchet.

Tobias firmly grasps the adoption paperwork in one hand and takes my hand in his other, and we walk to the elevator and take it down to the third floor. When we exit, he leads us down several back hallways to my dad's room. Mom and Caleb are sitting on either side of his bed and everyone looks our way when we walk into the room. Tobias and I pull up the remaining two chairs around Dad's bed and sit down. We talk for a good hour about what we did while we were apart. Tobias and I announce that the adoption papers have finally been signed, and we'll be taking them to Candor tomorrow to have them filed. Mom, Dad, and even Caleb give us their sincere congratulations.

Caleb was able to give us some much needed good news. Instead of having supper he talked to his fellow leaders at Erudite, and they have agreed to postpone releasing any reports about Dad until he's well enough to go under truth serum at Candor. Apparently one colleague of Caleb's didn't like this idea and voted no. Briefly, I think maybe someone from Dad's early days in Erudite is holding a grudge but when Caleb mentions his name, Gavin Scott, Dad said it doesn't sound familiar.

"How are you feeling, Dad?" I ask, noticing he looks very tired.

"I'm good, Beatrice," he says. I nod at him but study his face for a while and see him slightly flinch every once in a while. He probably is in need of his next dosage of pain medication but he would never tell anyone including the nurse who is due in at any time.

"I think Four and I are going to go," I say. "It's been a long day and you need your rest." He smiles at me and reaches out his hand. I take it.

"You really don't have to go," he says, but I can see a slight relief in his eyes. He'd never kick any of us out of his room but he's tired, in pain, and needs his rest. Tobias and I get up from our chairs, which he returns to their original positions along the wall opposite the windows. I lean down and give Dad a kiss on the cheek and tell him we'll see him tomorrow.

"I love you, Dad," I say. "I'm so glad you're awake and going to be okay."

"I think I'm going to head out, too," Caleb says. "It's been a long week, and it will be nice to go to bed early." We all say our goodbyes, and Tobias and I go to the elevator followed by Caleb. We all get off in the parking garage and walk to our cars, which are surprisingly parked close to one another.

"I'm sorry again about everything I said today and how I behaved," Caleb says. "I truly don't know what came over me. I really do like you, Four. I don't know where those hurtful words came from. I hope one day you can forgive me."

"It's already forgotten, Caleb," Tobias says, selfless as ever.

"Caleb, I'm sorry, too," I say. "I shouldn't have hit you, and I never should have doubted you have Dad's best interests at heart. I'll try to think before I speak from now on." I hug my big brother then get in our car. The evening has turned off bitterly cold so Tobias turns the heater up in the car to take the chill out of the air before we head toward home. I stare out the window for a while thinking about everything that happened today. When I turn my head, Tobias is looking at me more than he is the road, which makes me a little nervous.

"Would you please watch the road," I say to him with an uneasy smile. "Precious cargo, remember." He sighs.

"I'm not going to let us crash," he says with amusement in his voice. "Are you okay? You sure have been quiet." I suddenly realize we are only minutes away from home.

"Actually, I'm better than I have been since Monday morning when Caleb showed up outside my office," I say. "I have a feeling everything is going to work itself out."

"I'm glad you feel that way," he says. "I was beginning to think you were stewing over something."

"No, just reliving certain events from today," I say letting my eyes leisurely look him up and down.

"Really," he says with a sly smile. We pull into the compounds underground parking garage, and he pulls the car into our normal parking spot. He takes his seatbelt off as I release mine. He reaches across the empty space and cups the back of my head, pulling me toward him. He gently places his lips on mine and unhurriedly kisses me. When the urgency increases, he playfully bites my bottom lip, and I open my mouth to him. Our tongues duel for dominance as our hands explore one another's bodies.

I unzip his leather jacket and slide both of my hands over the hard muscles of his chest as he slips a hand under the hem of my fitted black and gray t-shirt and up to cup a breast, which is aching to be freed. He moves his mouth to my neck, kissing, licking, and nibbling the exposed flesh, making me shiver. When he frees my swollen breast from the confines of my lacy bra, a loud moan escapes my mouth. I move my hands down and under his shirt, resting them on the taut flesh of his ripped abs.

A knock on the car window brings us back to reality, and we momentarily freeze in each other's arms. He groans and takes his hand out of my bra, and I remove my hands from his shirt, move away from him, and straighten my clothes. It's only now that I see all the windows are fogged over, and I can't see who interrupted us. There's another knock on the window and someone says in a low menacing voice, "I know you're in there. Come out and no one gets hurt."


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: Here's a Sunday bonus chapter! Enjoy!**

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><p>Fear moves through me at an alarming rate, making me shiver. I love our spontaneous make out session in the car but what I wouldn't give if the windows weren't fogged over so I was able to see who is standing on the other side of Tobias' door threatening us. Do they really mean us any harm? Could this have something to do with Dad's attack? He leans over and retrieves the pistol he keeps hidden under the driver seat in case of an emergency, turns the car key to the on position, and slowly lowers the window about half way, pointing the gun out of it.<p>

"Son of a bitch," Christina squeals when she sees the gun, then she moves her hands over her chest. "Why are you pointing a gun at me, Four? I was just trying to have a little fun." I lean over and glare at my best friend.

"Shit, Christina, you scared the crap out of us," I say. "It's a good thing Four can stay calm in these situations, or he could have really hurt you." I hear Tobias let out the breath he's been holding as he places the gun back in its holster, which is attached to the underside of the driver's seat. I get out of the car and slam my door behind me and walk over to Christina, scowling at her.

"I'm sorry I scared you, Tris. I guess with everything you've been through with your dad this week, I should have known better than to sneak up on you. I wasn't thinking. I was getting ready to meet Will and Tyler in the cafeteria for supper when I saw you two drive by, so I thought I would meet you," she says then she lowers her voice. "What were you two doing in there? I've only seen steamy windows like that in the movies." I frown at her. "Okay, fine. I'll drag details out of you later. Walk with me to the cafeteria. I'm starving." She puts her arm through mine, and we make the short trek from the garage to the cafeteria, Tobias following closely behind us not saying a word. Of course, with the conversation that is flowing between the two of us, he really can't get a word in anyway.

When Tyler sees me walk through the cafeteria doors, he drops his fork and comes barreling straight toward me. I stop, kneel down, and let him run into my outstretched arms, nearly knocking me over. I suddenly realize I haven't seen him awake since Monday morning. I didn't grasp how much I've been missing him and a single happy tear runs down my face. I pick him up, he's as light as a feather, and carry him to our table. He was sitting between Uriah and Marlene eating his supper but doesn't want to go back to them. He wants to stay with me, which makes my heart swell, so I sit him down between Tobias and me so he can finish his plate of chicken, macaroni and cheese, and apple slices. When he's done he insists on sitting on my lap, which I oblige, and we even share a small slice of Dauntless cake when I finish my supper.

"How is your dad, Tris?" Shauna asks. "Did I hear you say he woke up?"

"Yeah, when Four and I got to his room this morning he was awake. His final sedation was taken off last night, and he woke up this morning. The doctors think he's going to make a full recovery," I say. "He can't remember anything from the morning of the attack though. I wasn't expecting him to but it would have been nice to know exactly what happened."

"I'm glad he's going to be okay," Ciara says. Everyone agrees with her. Soon most of our friends file out of the cafeteria for parts unknown. Only Zeke, Shauna, Will, and Christina are left sitting with us.

"I know you must be tired, Tris, but do you have time to do that thing we talked about Sunday night?" she asks. I look at Tobias and he furrows his eyebrows in confusion at me. He doesn't know I've already picked out my wedding dress, it's here, and in need of a fitting.

"Can it wait until tomorrow night?" I ask. We are supposed to get together to plan the wedding.

"No, it really needs done as soon as possible," she says.

"Okay, would it be alright if we combine that with the other wedding planning we were going to do tomorrow night? I'll probably be at the hospital then anyway," I say. She nods her head at me.

"Four, I'm going with Christina tonight instead of tomorrow night. We have some wedding planning to do," I say with a smile. Tears well up in Tyler's eyes, he stands up on the bench we're sitting on, and wraps his little arms around my neck right before he starts crying. The only time he's acted like this is when he's missing his mom. "Tyler, honey, what's wrong?"

"Twis, no go," he says, tears shining in his eyes. My heart contracts painfully and tears come to my eyes.

"I have an idea, Tyler," I manage to say, trying not to let my runaway emotions show in my voice. "Would you like it if Four takes you to the ice cream parlor? You like ice cream, and you haven't had any for a while," I say. "If you go to sleep before I get home, I promise I will wake you up and say goodnight. I really have to get some things done tonight since I've been spending a lot of time at the hospital with my dad." He releases me from his death grip, sticks his bottom lip out pouting, and nods his head at me. I raise my eyes to Tobias', and I see confusion on his face. Tyler is still clinging to me as we all walk out of the cafeteria onto the busy floor of the Pit.

"Tyler, buddy, you want a ride?" Zeke asks. He nods his head at him then yanks on my hand. I kneel down, and he kisses my cheek then goes to Zeke who puts him on his shoulders.

"Do any of you have an idea what that was all about?" I ask, watching Zeke rush through the crowd of Dauntless members with Tyler, who is now squealing with excitement, on his shoulders. "He's never acted this way unless he's missing his mom." Tobias and I lock eyes. It couldn't be, could it? My heart aches at the thought of Tyler thinking of me as his mom. No, it has to be something else. I shouldn't let my imagination run away with me. It gets me into trouble when I do that. "Four, I have my phone, text or call if you need me."

"Wedding plans?" he asks skeptically.

"Honest," I say putting my hand over my heart. "I know you said you'd be fine with getting married in your pajamas in the middle of the Pit but that isn't exactly my idea of a dream wedding." Although, I'm not entirely sure what my idea of a dream wedding is. Thankfully, Christina is helping me with the details. I stand on my tiptoes and place my mouth on his. When I pull away a smile gradually turns up my lips. "Maybe we can pick up where we left off in the car when I get home."

"That can be arranged," he roughly says before kissing me passionately. Christina clears her throats, and we break apart. That's twice she's interrupted us tonight. I swear it's time for payback. I need to walk in on her and Will sometime. While Christina and I are walking to the boutique, I tell her about my parent's reaction to the adoption and everything that happened at the hospital the past few days. The only thing I leave out is the news about the baby but I know I'm going to give it to her sometime tonight.

"Can I ask a question?" I say while I'm standing on a little pedestal in the boutique's backroom in my wedding gown with Christina kneeling at me feet. "Has Tyler been clingy the past couple days? I'm trying hard to understand his reaction tonight. It kind of freaked me out. He's never really done anything like that before with me or Four, only Evelyn. It was heartbreaking for me. I didn't want to leave him."

"He's been asking almost nonstop where you are," Christina says. "I will admit he hasn't been the happy go lucky kid these past few days that we've all come to know. He didn't even want to eat cake with Uriah."

"Wow, that's not good. He loves cake _and_ Uriah," I say. "I had to promise I would wake him up if he's asleep when I get home to get him to stop crying. I think we need to make this as early of a night as possible."

"We have a lot to discuss but we'll try," Christina says, pinning the dress to fit my body exactly. "He just misses you."

"Christina, are you leaving any play in this dress," I say. "It seems a little tight."

"It's not tight, just form fitting," she says with a snicker.

"What if I get bigger, what happens then," I slowly say.

"Tris, your body isn't going to change that much in the next seven weeks," she says.

"Um ... it might," I say. I'm so nervous that it comes out sounding like a question. She looks up at me with a questioning look. I look around to make sure we are alone. I don't want this to become public knowledge yet and softly say, "Christina, I'm ... pregnant."

"What?" she shouts after she gets over her initial shock. "You're pregnant?"

"Sshh!" I say. "Four and I don't want anyone to know but I had to tell you. You're my best friend, and you're already pregnant so if I have any questions I can come to you."

"How did this happen?" she says, then she rolls her eyes and says, "I _know_ how it happened but what about the birth control shot?"

"Whatever poison Cameron gave me the night of the masquerade ball rendered the shot useless," I say, hating to lie to her but I can't chance telling her about the death serum. "We didn't know. Dr. Parrish didn't catch it. I'm six weeks along."

"Are you okay with this?" she hesitantly asks. "How does Four feel?"

"We're both _very_ happy," I say. "We were shocked at first. It wasn't the easiest news to hear. I mean, we have the adoption to think about. I imagine this is going to be one of the hardest times in our lives but woman give birth to twins and triplets all the time so having the babies approximately six months apart will just make them seem like twins. I hope."

"You're going through with the adoption?" she asks.

"Yes, of course," I say. "That little girl already feels like my own daughter, and Four feels the same way. We can't give her up. Plus we finally got the adoption paperwork signed tonight by Evelyn and the baby's father." I quickly explain to Christina who Ethan Black is.

"I'm happy for you," she says with a genuine smile on her face now that the shock has worn off. "I have some news, too. Will and I are having a boy. We just found out on Monday. Will is so excited he's having a son. He's strutting around here like a peacock." We laugh a happy laugh together. "Isobel said the pregnancy is progressing very well. I just want a healthy baby."

"I'm so happy for you ... for both of you," I say bending over to give her a big hug. The pedestal I'm standing on and shoes I'm wearing make me taller than Christina for once. She hugs me back fiercely until one of the straight pins she's using to alter the dress pokes me, and I let out a little yelp. "Sorry, a pin just got me." She lets me go, and I straighten back up so she can finish with the dress.

"Well I doubt you'll be showing by the wedding but with as small as you are your tummy might not be as flat as it is now. I'm going to leave some room for you to grow. I'll also leave some room in the bust, just in case you get fuller there also," she says. "I have to ask, is the only reason you told me you're pregnant because of the dress fitting?"

"No," I say, shaking my head. "I found out Sunday morning that I'm pregnant but I've thought of a million questions for you since then. I imagine if everything had been normal this week I would have told you sooner."

"Any questions you have, I'll be happy to answer," she says. "_If_ I have an answer."

"Do you ever ... irrationally ... want to kill Will?" I say not quite meeting her eyes. I don't want to know if she thinks I'm crazy or not. "Four keeps leaving the toilet seat up, and I swear I've plotted hundreds of ways to kill him. It's kind of disturbing to me but I can't seem to help myself." She lets out a little giggle, which sounds out of character for her.

"I thought I was the only one who did that," she says with a sigh of relief. "Will leaves his clothes on the floor right next to the hamper. Does he bend down and pick them up? _No_. _I_ have to, his pregnant girlfriend. I've asked nicely, I've screamed, I've threatened. Nothing seems to work. I have to bend down, pick his clothes up, and put them in the hamper if I want any piece of mind." We laugh at our guys' quirks.

After Christina marks the last alteration with pins, she carefully helps me out of the dress then returns the frock to its hanger and protective garment bag. She puts a tag on it stating my name and date of the wedding and hangs it on a rack in her office. We decide to go to her apartment to talk about the wedding details since all the documentation on what we've already decided is there plus it will be a shorter walk home than if we stayed here in the boutique. I think momentarily about checking on Tyler but I don't want to upset him if he has calmed down and is still awake so we go directly to her place.

Christina calls out for Will but it appears he isn't home yet. I wonder if he's across the hall with Tobias and Tyler. She gets the small black binder she uses for party planning out, turns it to the tab marked with my name, and sets it on the kitchen table between us after she makes a pot of coffee and pours us each a cup.

"Alright, we have your dress, which I will have altered as soon as I can so that you can have another fitting to see how it looks. Because of your little announcement tonight, I would like to do a final fitting two days before the wedding to make sure any needed alterations in the bust and stomach area can be made," she says then writes all the information down on the timetable. I need to remember to give her something extra special for her time.

"I need to thank you again for helping me plan the wedding," I say. "I don't know what I would do without you. Probably get married in my PJs on the floor of the Pit." Now she's looking at me like I'm crazy. "Sorry, it's something Four said to me. What else do we need to talk about?"

"We have the date set for the wedding and the menu planned out. Your dress and shoes are here. You decided against a veil. Unless you want something special for your hair, I have a lot of accessories I can use. The bridesmaid's dresses are here. Four's tux is here. I've ordered the groomsman's tuxes and shoes. The boutique has bowties and cummerbunds in various colors when you decide what color you would like. Four has the rings," she say, reading off her detailed list. "We need to discuss the location, the wedding officiant, colors, invitations, flowers, guest list, and the cake for right now. The main thing you need to decide and soon is the location. Without a place for the wedding I don't know what we'll do. Have you had a chance to think about where you would like to have the ceremony? There are several places here in the city and I've recently found out there's an old farmstead out amongst the Amity fields that's been renovated and made into a bed and breakfast and events hall. From what I've heard, it's really nice and romantic."

"Don't you think it would be a long trip for everyone to go all the way to Amity?" I ask.

"I don't know," she says. "It might be a hardship for your guests but who doesn't want to see what it's like outside the fence. It would also be convenient for you and Four. You could have your ceremony, reception, and honeymoon all at the same place."

"Four wants to take care of the honeymoon himself. That was our deal," I say. "We plan the wedding and he gets to surprise me with the honeymoon. I think we can scratch the farm off the list. I like the idea of getting married at the Navy Pier." She makes a notation about my decision in the binder.

"The Navy Pier?" she says. "Where?"

"I'd like it to be outdoors by the Ferris wheel but I would consider taking it indoors in the old Crystal Gardens building. Several years ago they reinforced the building to make it safe. I've heard of other couples using it for weddings and receptions. That could be an alternative to an outside wedding. I don't exactly know why the pier and the Ferris wheel have such a special meaning to me, but they do," I say remembering my times on the Ferris wheel with Tobias. "I think I've made my decision. I would like the ceremony outdoors by the Ferris wheel with the reception under a big tent close by. If it rains then we can have the ceremony and the reception indoors at the Crystal Gardens. How does that sound? Do you think it is doable?"

"Very much so," she says with a happy smile, making another notation in the binder. "That's probably the biggest decision you had left. Do you have any ideas about colors?" I think for a while, sipping my second cup of hot coffee.

"Why is this so hard?" I say with a sigh. "I just want to marry Four and start our life together. Why does there have to be all these little decisions?"

"I'm going to do a lot of this for you. I already said I would," she says taking in my shifting mood, "but I need you to help with the basics: Who you want to be there, what you want your cake to taste like, what colors you want everything to be. Come on, Tris, help me out."

"You're right. I'm sorry. I think I had a bit of a mood swing there," I say with an apologetic tone. "I like the idea of black and white with a hint of red. I think that would be pretty. I would like white roses in any bouquets and boutonnieres. I'll leave any other flower arrangements up to you. I think we should have chocolate and butter cream cake decorated with black, white, and red frosting."

"Keep the ideas coming," she says, excitement clear in her voice, writing my ideas down. "This is great! Do you have a guest list yet so I can get the invitations out?"

"No, Four and I haven't done that yet," I say. "We'll get to it in the next couple days. It's pretty basic though. All our friends, my parents, and my brother."

"What about your uncle and cousin?" she asks. I've only talked to Nathan and Callen a handful of times since Dru and Cameron's executions in January. I should make a greater effort to get to know them but I've been giving them their space so they can grieve.

"I don't know," I say. "I think I should at least invite them. They don't have to come. I'll talk to Four about it. I also need to talk to him about his parents."

"_You_ want to invite his parents?" she asks in disbelief.

"Do I _want_ to invite them? _No_, not at all," I say. "But that doesn't mean he won't want them there." She looks at me skeptically. "I don't _think_ he wants them there, but we haven't talked about it. I don't want to make the decision for him without talking to him first."

"You're a better person than I am," she says. "I wouldn't even give Four a chance to invite Marcus." Sometimes I forget she knows all about Tobias' background. I start to say something to her when her front door opens and Will comes stumbling into the apartment.

"Hey, I didn't know you two were here," he says, slurring his words. I guess I was wrong about him being with Tobias and Tyler. He smells like a brewery. I've never seen Will like this. From the look on Christina's face, she is sitting there open-mouthed staring at him, she's never seen him this way either.

"I think I'm going to go," I say, suddenly feeling out of place. "Thanks again, Christina. I'll see you in the morning." When I close their door behind me, I hear them start to argue. I can't make out what they're saying because of the door and wall's soundproofing but I can tell she is extremely upset with him. I walk the few steps to my apartment, unlock the door, and let myself in. I'm fully expecting Tobias to be in the living room waiting on me but I'm surprised to see Tyler is still awake. It's 30 minutes past his bedtime.

"What are you still doing up, Tyler?" I say putting my hands on my hips like my mom used to do when I would get in trouble. It's Tobias who gives me a sheepish look.

"He insisted on waiting up for you," he says. "I told him it would be okay this one time. Isn't that right, Tyler?" He bobs his head up and down, gets off the couch and comes over to me. He holds his arms up to me and I pick him up.

"Should we get you to bed now?" I say. When little tears start to form in his eyes again, it feels like someone just punched me in the stomach. "How about this? I'll stay with you until you go to sleep. You really need to go to bed or you're going to be cranky tomorrow." He lays his head on my shoulder as I carry him upstairs. Tobias already has him dressed in his racecar pajamas and ready for bed so I lay him in his little toddler bed and lie down beside him. He's so tired that within a few minutes he is sound asleep. I lie still for a few more minutes to make sure that when I get up, he won't wake up.

"What I wouldn't give to have a camera right now," Tobias softly says from the doorway. I raise my head and give him a warm smile. I manage to get myself out of Tyler's small bed without waking him, and meet Tobias in the hallway. I leave his door ajar like I do every night and follow Tobias downstairs.

"Tobias?" I ask after we sit down side-by-side on the couch. "I have to ask you something but I don't want to upset you." This piques his interest, and he cocks his head to one side and frowns a bit.

"What is it, Tris?" he asks.

"We really need to compile the guest list for the wedding, and I have to ask you something," I say. I'm quiet for a long time, working up the nerve to say the words. "Do you want to invite Marcus and Evelyn to the wedding? I know how you feel about your parents but they _are_ your parents. Is there a part of you, even a small part who wants to share this occasion with them?" He looks at me for a long while, staring deeply into my eyes causing butterflies to swarm in my stomach. He starts shaking his head slowly.

"No," he says, a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Are you sure?" I ask. "I don't want you looking back over your life and wishing you had them there."

"Thank you for being selfless enough to ask me. I know how you feel about them," he says then he puts his mouth on mine. "Obviously, Evelyn won't be able to make it since she's on bed rest, and there's no way in hell I want Marcus anywhere near us. This is _our_ special day, and I don't want any reminder of my hellish childhood on the day when my future truly begins." I smile brightly at him.

"How did you get to be so romantic?" I ask, caressing his cheek.

"It's you ... you bring out a side of me I never knew existed," he says. "I love you."

"I love you, too, Tobias," I say. I slowly move my mouth to his when there's a knock on the door. I sigh and hang my head. "I think I know who that is." I get up off the couch and open the door. "Come in, Christina."


	17. Chapter 17

Christina looks like death warmed over when I open the door to her. Tears are streaming uncontrollably down her pale, distraught face, and she falls into my outstretched arms. I barely manage to get her to my loveseat. I glance in Tobias' direction and see shock and slight distress on his handsome face. He looks incredibly uncomfortable right now. I know he absolutely hates it when I cry, so I can't imagine how he feels about my best friend sobbing in my arms.

"How about I make you guys some coffee then make myself scarce," he softly says. I give him a warm smile and nod my head slightly in his direction. He goes into the kitchen, starts a pot of coffee, grabs his keys and phone, and heads out of the apartment. The minute the door closes Christina raises her red-rimmed eyes to mine.

"I'm so sorry I just barged in. Uh, I'm such a mess," she say, fiercely wiping the tears on her cheeks away with the back of her hands. She definitely is a typical Dauntless member, not wanting to show any perceived weakness to anyone, even her best friend. "Will and I just got into the worst fight that we've ever had. I told him I needed some time to myself and that I was going to take a walk so I could cool down but I don't want anyone seeing me this way. I hope you don't mind that I came over."

"It's alright, Christina," I say. "I remember a night not that long ago when I knocked on your door late at night, an absolute mess, and you were there for me, no questions asked. You are welcome here anytime. You know that. Do you want to talk about what happened?" She stares across the loveseat at me, not saying a word. I imagine this has something to do with the state in which he came home. I notice that the coffee pot stops dripping, so I get up and pour us each a cup. I bring the steaming mugs back to the living room with me and hand one to her before sitting back down beside her. "Talk to me, Christina. Maybe it will help you feel better."

"You saw him, Tris. He came home stinking drunk," she says, aggravation clear in her voice. "He's never done that before. I managed to decipher that he decided to stop at the bar for a couple drinks since you and I were at the boutique planning your wedding. He was celebrating our news about the baby being a boy. Apparently he had a lot more drinks than just _a few_. I didn't like seeing him like that, slurring his words, laughing like a fool, barely able to stand, acting like a total idiot ... which he isn't. And I told him just that but I decided that everyone makes mistakes so I would get over it but while we were discussing the situation _and_ his behavior, his phone rang. It was some _girl_ he gave his number to tonight while he was at the bar. You should have seen the look on his face. He didn't like getting caught. Why would he do that to me ... to _us_?" She automatically cradles her swelling abdomen in her arms. She looks like she is on the verge of tears or murdering someone, I can't tell. Everything she's said sounds so out of character for Will. He's never even looked at another girl since he joined Dauntless. Why would he be giving his number out?

"Do you know if he's done this kind of thing before, giving his number out?" I hesitantly ask. Maybe there are things about my friends I don't know.

"Not that I know of. He lied straight to my face and told me he never gave his number to anyone, not tonight ... not ever," she says. "What should I do?"

"You may not want to hear this but you need to talk to him," I say. "How often has he been drunk?"

"We've had a few drinks from time to time but I've never seen him drunk before," she says.

"Remember when I told you about Four coming home drunk?" I say. She nods her head at me. "He is a _totally_ different person when he has alcohol in his system. He does things he normally wouldn't do when he drinks. Maybe Will is the same way. It's not an excuse but it's a possible reason for his behavior tonight."

"I don't think I can talk to him just yet, Tris," she says. "When I look at him part of me wants to hit him until he's feeling the same pain I'm experiencing right now, and the other part of me wants to crumple to the floor crying. I've never felt this way before."

"I totally understand, Christina. Just don't give up on him, okay. He loves you, you know that, and you love him. You also have your baby to think about," I say. "Do you want to stay here tonight? All I can really offer you is my couch. Our spare bedroom is set up as an office at the moment."

"No but if you don't mind I would like to hang out here for a while longer," she says. "I'm just not ready to go home quite yet."

"You want some more coffee? It's decaf," I say. "We can talk some more about Will or we can talk about something else to get your mind off things ... whatever you want."

"Yes, I would like some more coffee please, thanks," she says handing me her empty mug. I'm getting us each a refill when I hear Tyler start screaming. I immediately set the full mugs down and rush up the stairs two at a time and fly into his room. He's asleep in the middle of his bed, thrashing about. He hasn't had a nightmare like this in over a month. I sit on the edge of his toddler bed and gently put my hand on his back, hoping to calm him down. The minute I touch him his eyes fly open, and he looks around dazed and confused. When his eyes focus on mine, he climbs up the front of my body and wraps his little arms tightly around my neck. He has tears in his eyes and his little body is shaking.

"Hey. You're alright," I say rubbing his back. I hold him close, trying to comfort him but he isn't calming down. "It was just a bad dream, baby. You're alright. Tris is here." I kiss his cheek and feel him starting to relax in my arms. "Why don't we break the rules this one time, and you come downstairs with me. I'll put _Cars_ in, and we'll watch the movie with Christina. She's downstairs visiting me. How does that sound?" He nods his head but doesn't release his grip on my neck. I pick him up and slowly carry him downstairs. "Christina, how about we watch _Cars_ with Tyler? He just had a bad dream."

"Oh, that's too bad," she says. "But I would love to watch the movie with you. I've never seen it before. I hear it's your favorite. Hey, Tyler, why don't we try to talk Tris into making some popcorn? Does that sound good?" He nods at her but doesn't smile. I wonder what his dream was about. I've never seen him this upset.

"Will you do me a favor and sit with Christina while I make the popcorn?" I ask Tyler but he shakes his head no and continues to cling to me with all his might so I carry him into the kitchen. I try to sit him down on the island like I've done numerous times but he still refuses. I put the popcorn in the microwave and get some bowls out of the cupboard all the while holding Tyler in my arms. I take a couple glasses and a sippy cup out of the dishwasher and fill them with ice water while the popcorn is popping. When it's done I pour us each a bowl and ask Christina for some help. She comes to the kitchen and helps me with the popcorn and drinks then puts the movie in the DVD player for me.

We all sit down on the couch watching the old animated movie and eating popcorn. When Tyler's finished snacking he lies his head in my lap and quickly falls asleep. This time I don't move him. I just turn the TV off since Christina and I aren't really interested in the movie.

"You sure are good with him. He's lucky to have you," she says. "I can tell he loves you very much."

"I love him, too," I say, running my fingers through his curls. "I'm not going to lie, I'm going to die a little when he goes back to Evelyn after the baby is born and I don't get to see him on a daily basis. I don't like thinking about it. I know my greatest fear is going to come true."

"Why not try for custody of him then. There has to be a case for it," she sympathetically says. I meet her eyes and find nothing but concern. I really shouldn't be hearing this idea. It's too dangerous. It could give me hope, hope I don't deserve. "You and Four can give him a stable home in a faction with _two_ parents who love him dearly. That's better than a factionless single mother and a father who would rather have his wife not find out about his existence. I'm not saying Evelyn doesn't love him, but is she what's _best_ for him." I look down at the boy who is sleeping in my lap and think about Christina's idea.

"I can't do that to him. No matter how I feel about Evelyn, _she_ is his mother, and he loves her," I say, my heart throbbing painfully in my chest and tears pooling in my eyes. "And as much as I dislike her, I can't do that to her either. He is _her_ son, not mine." I hear Tobias' key in the lock then he walks into the quiet room. I quickly wipe the tears away not wanting to explain what Christina and I were just talking about. Hell, I don't really want to _think_ about it either. When he looks at me I can tell he notices my red-rimmed eyes but he doesn't say a word about them.

"I ran into Will when I was out taking a walk. He'd been looking all over the compound for you. I told him you've been here with Tris the entire time," Tobias says. "I hope you don't mind but he told me a little about your fight. He didn't remember giving his number to the girl who called. He also didn't think he should be as drunk as he is because he only remembers having three beers so I took him to the control room, and we checked the security footage. You really need to see this." He fishes his phone out of his pocket, finds the video file he's looking for, and hands his phone to Christina. She watches it soundlessly for about five minutes then hands it to me, no emotions showing on her face. The surveillance footage shows Will sitting alone at the bar chatting with the two bartenders, who both happen to be male. A woman with long chestnut-colored hair walks past and sits on the left-hand-side of him almost out of camera range. She seems familiar to me but it's hard to make out her face from the angle of the camera. She looks all around her then strikes up a conversation with Will. She seems genuinely interested in him but he just looks like he's being polite. He orders another drink then becomes distracted by a Dauntless member, a blonde-haired man with shocking pink highlights, for just a moment. When he turns his back to her, the woman slips something into his drink and picks up his phone. That must be how she got his number. I can't see exactly what she's doing because the camera angle once again isn't to our advantage but she has his phone in her hand longer than it takes to look up a phone number.

"Why does she look so familiar?" I say out loud, trying hard to remember where I've seen her before.

"She reminds me of the nurse who is always at the front desk at the infirmary," Christina says. I look at the security footage and study the face. That's exactly who I was thinking of.

"She does kind of looks like that intake nurse with the nasally voice. Erin, I think is her name," I say. "But it's hard to tell because you really can't see her face."

"I took Will to the infirmary for a blood test with the doctor on duty. Erin was the nurse at the reception desk. There's no way she could be in two places at once," Tobias says. "He should be here soon. I told Dr. Young to get me the test results when they are in to see if we have grounds for charges, _if_ we find out who this mysterious woman is."

"I didn't believe him when he told me he didn't give out his number," Christina says, tears swimming in her eyes once again. "I though he way lying to me. I can't believe I though the worst of him." There's a knock on the door, and Tobias lets Will in. He looks absolutely dreadful. He comes directly to Christina.

"Christy, I am _so_ sorry," he says, his words still slightly slurring. She gets up off the couch and goes straight into his outstretched arms, wrapping herself around him. "Dr. Parrish came in after you left, Four. He thinks I was drugged. He told me I'm the fourth guy to come into the infirmary this week with these symptoms. Unfortunately he hasn't been able to find anything in the tox screen but since we had footage of something being put in my beer he's going to run an expanded panel. He's going to call you in a little while with all the details. Let's go home, Christina. I'm sorry we bothered you guys tonight but I am so thankful that I ran into you when I did Four. That crazy bitch could have ended my relationship and for what, a prank?"

"It was no bother at all. I'm glad I could help," Tobias says patting Will on the shoulder once. "You take it easy. If you need some time off tomorrow, let me know, okay."

"I don't think I will, but thanks," Will says.

"And thank you for letting me hang out with you and Tyler and cry on your shoulder," she says leaning over and giving me a big hug. "We'll see you tomorrow. Thanks again." They both leave and Tobias locks the door behind them and comes over and sits down beside me and Tyler on the couch.

"What's Tyler doing down here?" he asks, running his hand over the boy's head.

"He had a bad dream so I let him come downstairs with me. We had some popcorn and watched _Cars_ until he fell back asleep," I say. "I didn't want to chance waking him back up so I just left him where he was."

"You were crying when I came in," he softly says, cupping my cheek with his hand. I can't help but lean into it. "I was expecting Christina to be a mess, not you. Would you like to tell me what had _you_ so upset?" I tell him about my lengthy conversation with Christina about Tyler. A grave look crosses his face.

"I know it's an impossible dream, Tobias. I would never do that to him _or_ to your mother," I say, reaching over and gliding my fingertips down his cheek. We stare into each other's eyes for a moment.

"This isn't the night I had envisioned for us," Tobias says, capturing my hand with his.

"I know," I say, lacing our fingers together. "Me neither." His mouth is moving toward mine when we hear his phone ring and I sigh. We've had too many interruptions today, not that anything can happen when there's a sleeping toddler in my lap. He answers his phone quickly so the ringing doesn't wake Tyler up. He mainly listens to the caller, only grunting short responses here and there. He thanks Zander for the information then switches his phone off.

"He expedited the expanded tox screen but it won't be ready until the morning," Tobias says. "He's had four other men in the infirmary this week with symptoms of extreme inebriation but their blood alcohol have all been extremely low or nonexistent. Will's reading was a 0.036, which is less than half the legal limit for driving. It makes absolutely no sense that he was as wasted as he was. Let's not think about it anymore tonight. Let's just go to bed." He carefully picks Tyler up, not wanting to wake him up, and carries him upstairs while I empty the dishwasher then put the snack dishes in and clean up the kitchen. After I shut off all the lights, I go upstairs and directly into the bathroom to get ready for bed. When I finish with my shower I go into our bedroom fully expecting Tobias to be waiting for me but he's not. I start downstairs when I hear a subtle squeaking in Tyler's room. I peek my head inside and find Tobias sitting in the rocking chair in the corner with Tyler, who is asleep with his head on his shoulder, on his lap.

"He woke up again?" I whisper from the doorway.

"Yeah," he replies. "Do you have any idea what's wrong with him?"

"No, but I imagine he's missing his mom. He hasn't seen her in six and a half weeks. That's a long time for a child," I say walking up to them. "It's going to be a long night, isn't it?"

"I know we agreed never to let him sleep with us but we've broken all the rules tonight anyway," he says. "Maybe if he's with us he'll subconsciously know it and not have another nightmare. I don't think I couldn't stand that. I don't know what else to do."

"It's fine with me," I say. Tobias manages to get up out of the chair without waking Tyler, and we head into our bedroom. After I turn down the sheets, he lies him down in the middle of the bed, and we snuggle in on either side of him.

"Good night, love," he says.

"Good night, Tobias," I say. "I love you."

"I love you, too." I momentarily wonder if I will be able to fall asleep without his comforting touch when I realize that our long day has taken its toll, and I fall into a dreamless sleep.


	18. Chapter 18

**A/N: Over 25,000 views and 175 followers and 225 reviews - already! You guys are incredible! Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy lives to read my story. Here is your next chapter. I hope you enjoy!**

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><p>Tyler has been exceedingly clingy for the past two days. He will barely let me out of his site for more than a minute at a time. I had to promise to not only walk him to daycare myself but also be the one who would pick him up both yesterday and today before he would finally relent and stop crying. I practically had to force him into the daycare center so he could play with his little best friend, Zane. I'm really worried about him. He almost seems depressed, which I know is not normal for a two year old. I tried to get him to tell me what's wrong but all he says is, "Twis don't go." I imagine he's missing Evelyn and needs to see her but the hospital won't budge on its rules, children under the age of 10 are not allowed in patient rooms. I've asked several times for a way for Evelyn and Tyler to see each other, maybe wheel her outside for a few minutes so he can see her but the hospital administration won't budge, not even for a miserable toddler who is missing his mommy. This is making me extremely frustrated. They don't have to see him cry and hold him when nightmares wake him up. I would love to just march him through the front door of the hospital and up to her room so they can see each other but it could get us banned, and I can't do that to Tobias. He's trying to forgive Evelyn and is becoming closer to his mother with each visit.<p>

Just last night before we went to bed he relayed the story of how Evelyn met Ethan Black, which she told him one of the many times he visited her this week while I was visiting my dad. They grew up doors away from each other in Erudite and were best friends and absolutely inseparable. Ethan left for Abnegation two years before Evelyn and was engaged to Ellie when she made her decision to also join Abnegation. Apparently there was no romantic relationship until they reconnected years later when they ran into each other at a council luncheon. Their rekindled friendship quickly turned into something more when Evelyn confided in Ethan Black that her marriage had turned violent. She told Tobias that if they had known how their feelings would grow, they would have held out for each other instead of marrying other people. Upon hearing that his mother also grew up in Erudite, I idly wondered aloud if Evelyn knew my father. Tobias told me that they in fact did know each other because of common classes in upper levels but were never close. I thanked him for yet another piece of my father's mysterious past in Erudite.

"Tobias, I'm not sure we should leave Tyler with Avery tonight," I quietly say while we're cleaning the kitchen up after supper. We're supposed to go to Uriah and Marlene's apartment in less than an hour for the Candor or Dauntless party but I'm afraid of how Tyler will react to us leaving him with Avery. He usually loves her but he's just not acting like himself. "If he throws a fit, I'm not going to want to leave at all, and we promised Uriah and Marlene we would be there."

"Hey, Tyler," he says. Tyler turns around on the couch and looks at him. "Do you know that Avery is coming over tonight so Tris and I can go to a party? You want to see Avery don't you?" Tyler furrows his little eyebrows and tears come to his eyes and his little bottom lip starts quivering. Tobias stops what he's doing and goes directly to him and picks him up and holds him while he cries. He searches out my eyes, and I shrug my shoulders. I really wish I knew what was going on with him. I finish putting the leftovers in the refrigerator and go into the living room. Upon seeing me, Tyler immediately puts his arms out to me. I take him from Tobias and sit down on the couch with him.

"Can you tell me what's wrong, Tyler," I say my heartbreaking a little. "You sure have been sad this week."

"Twis, no go," is all he says, which is all he's been saying.

"I'll be here when you wake up. I promise," I say. "Are you sure you don't want to see Avery. You really like Avery."

"No Avey. Twis," he says stubbornly. If we keep letting him have his way, he's going to become extremely spoiled, and we don't want that but on the other hand I don't want to disregard his feelings. I look at Tobias who has joined us on the couch.

"Shall I call Avery?" he says. I nod at him. "Okay. I'm going to pay her though, is that okay?"

"That's fine," I say. "It's short notice. Tell her we're really sorry. I'm going to go upstairs and get him ready for bed. Come on, Tyler. Let's get you ready for bed. You're going to come with Four and me to Uriah and Marlene's new apartment for a party." He almost gives me a smile when I say this. I put him down on the floor and reach my hand down and he takes it. We slowly walk up the stairs, he's still a bit wobbly on them and into the bathroom. I give him a quick bath then put him in a pair of fire engine footie pajamas. I ask him to play in his room for a little bit while I go get ready for the party. I put on as many layers as I possibly can without being too uncomfortable. I can't stand the thought of taking my clothes off in front of people even if they are my close friends. Tobias comes into the bedroom just as I'm putting on one of his zip up sweatshirts as my final layer. I look over my shoulder at him and notice that his layers make him look a full size larger.

"Are you ready to go?" he asks.

"If I had my way we wouldn't be leaving tonight. We'd shut off our phones and lock ourselves away but I know our friends well enough to know they would never let us get by with it." I say wrapping my arms around his waist and holding myself close to him. He tips my chin up so he can look into my eyes.

"We'll have fun," he says. "I promise."

"I know we will," I say. "Let's go." We leave our bedroom and Tobias picks Tyler up and carries him on his shoulders down to Uriah and Marlene's. We talk about our latest Dauntless troubles on the way. Zander determined that the five men, which unfortunately includes Will, were slipped a GHB derivative which didn't erase their inhibitions but lowered them drastically and made them forget their encounter with the woman who as of yet has not been identified. We've shown Will the tape of him and the suspect several times trying to jog his memory and ... nothing. We all find it odd and incredible frustrating because the night the drug was slipped into his drink he remembered everything that happened to him, he just seemed intoxicated but once he slept, the entire previous night was erased. That makes me think there are more victims out there who don't know they've been taken advantage of, and I say victims because we now know what she does with their phone. Somehow she accesses their points and helps herself. Each man has had various amounts stolen. The first victim we found had one day's worth of points stolen, and Will had a months' worth taken out of his account. Since we can't get her face on the existing cameras, bar-level surveillance is scheduled to be installed the beginning of next month. Hopefully, we can get a clear image of her face so that she can be arrested. When we get to their apartment near the Pit, we knock on their door and Uriah opens it to us.

"Hey guys," he says. "I didn't know you were bringing Tyler. Hey buddy!"

"Hi," Tyler says with a grin. Tobias takes him off his shoulder and sits him on his feet, and we walk into Uriah and Marlene's and look around. I saw the space after it was remodeled and there was nothing in it but it looks totally different furnished and decorated.

"Wow, Marlene. Did you do all this yourself?" I ask, taking in my surrounding. Against the far wall is a nice-sized kitchen with ebony-stained wooden cabinets and stainless steel appliance. In front of the bank of cabinets is a white-washed farmhouse table with plenty of seating that is full of scrumptious-looking refreshments. Tucked in the corner of the room behind the wrought iron spiral staircase that leads to their loft bedroom is a full four piece bathroom. Everything has a young, flirty, and fun appearance to it. Multicolored jewel tone polka dot pillows lie on the black couch, a rainbow colored throw is tossed over one of the two matching dark gray almost black armchairs. Each wall is a different color: Yellow, blue, green, and orange, and the far wall in their bedroom is stripped using all these colors.

"Yeah," Marlene proudly says. "Do you like it?"

"I love it!" I say. "It's definitely you."

"What about me?" Uriah asks with a pout, coming up behind Marlene. "Is it me?"

"I don't see any cake," Tobias says with a straight face. "I thought for sure any apartment you lived in would have intimate photos of you and Dauntless cake on every available surface."

"Not funny, Four," Uriah says but all our friends are practically rolling on the floor with laughter.

"I thought it was funny," Tobias says, mainly to himself.

"Everyone make yourself at home," Marlene says. "The bathroom is behind the stairs, and there are snacks and drinks on the table." I sit down on the couch and Tyler climbs up on my lap. Tobias gets us both a sparkling cider while I dig for Tyler's sippy cup in his diaper bag. After he returns with the drinks, he sits on the floor and leans up against my legs. We all sit around talking and laughing waiting for everyone to get here. Tyler sits quietly on my lap drinking his milk, and before long I notice he's fallen asleep. Tobias carefully lifts him off my lap and carries him upstairs and lays him down in the middle of Uriah and Marlene's bed then comes and sits again at my feet.

"Let's get this party started. You all know the rules. If you refuse the challenge, you have to take ab piece of clothing off and shoes and socks don't count," Uriah says, excitement clear on his face. He loves a rowdy Candor or Dauntless party. "Okay, I'll start. Zekey," he says in a sing-song voice, "Candor or Dauntless?"

"Dauntless, you little idiot," he says to his younger brother.

"I dare you to wear your underwear on your head for the rest of the night," Uriah says with a huge grin on his face. Zeke's mouth falls open and he turns slightly red. Although I've only played Candor or Dauntless a couple of times, I've never seen Zeke balk at a dare. He whips his shirt off over his head, and we all stare at him in disbelief. Apparently, this is the first time ever that he has backed down from a challenge.

"What?" he says defiantly.

"You've never refused a dare before," Tobias says.

"I wouldn't now either except I'm not wearing any underwear," he says matter-of-factly. Everyone laughs even harder. "Enough about me. Four, Candor or Dauntless?"

After thinking about it for a moment, Tobias says with a sigh, "Candor." Disappointment crosses Uriah's face, and he makes a scoffing sound but nothing else. He knows better than to call Tobias a pansycake if he wants to live. At the last party, he did it, and Tobias punched him in the face and threatened him with death. I don't know if anyone else believed him but I personally did.

"Who was your first kiss?" Zeke says, eliciting a frown from Tobias, like he really doesn't want to answer. Oh! I'm interested in hearing the answer to this one. I think I know who it was, but I could be wrong.

"Tris," he says like everyone should already know. I beam at his answer.

"That's what I figured," Zeke says, very proud of himself for actually pulling a personal response out of Tobias.

"Tris," Tobias says. "Candor or Dauntless?" I make a show of thinking about it, but I'm just too tired to do a dare.

"Candor," I say.

"Pansycake," Uriah yells at the top of his lungs, eliciting a frightful glare from Tobias but everyone else just laughs at him, and I shake my head. I don't mind his stupid little supposed put down. It's a part of who Uriah is.

"Who was _your_ first kiss?" Tobias asks, looking at me over his shoulder. I would think he knows the answer to this but I decide to play a bit, suddenly in a teasing mood. I cock my head to one side and look down into his sparkling blue eyes, my hands going to the zipper of my jacket. I unzip it and start to slide it off my shoulders, and his eyes widen to almost twice their size, then I start laughing.

"My first kiss was with you, Four," I say, putting him out of his misery and pulling my jacket back up on my shoulders. Our friends chuckle at our teasing. I leave it unzipped as all the layers I have on are causing my body temperature to raise at an incredible rate or maybe it's just looking into Tobias' eyes that's doing it. I can tell by the smoldering glance he's giving me that we aren't going to be at this party very late. "Christina, Candor or Dauntless?"

"Dauntless," she says.

"Go to the Pit and ask strangers for a hug until someone hugs you," I say. She gets out of the chair she looks very comfortable in and a few of us follow behind her to the bustling floor of the Pit. She asks four different people for a hug before the fifth man shrugs his shoulders and gives her a big bear hug. She thanks him politely then we all go back into Uriah and Marlene's apartment.

"We're back!" Christina says. "That was pretty easy, and I got a big hug out of it! Marlene, Candor or Dauntless?"

"Candor," she says. Then she adds, "Shut it Uri," at the same time he screams, "Pansycake." Everyone laughs.

"Which fear freaked you out the most during initiation?" Christina asks.

"Wow, there are so many to choose from. I'm not as fearless as Four or Tris," she says. "Killer bees stinging me all over my body. I can still remember each painful sting." A visible shiver runs down her spine. "James, Candor or Dauntless?"

"Dauntless," he says with confidence.

"I dare you to go to the cafeteria and steal us each a slice of cake," Marlene says.

"WooHoo!" screams Uriah. "I've been waiting for this dare all night."

"We've only been playing for a little bit, idiot," Zeke says. Uriah just frowns at him.

"I hate this dare," James mutters. "Fine, I'll be right back but if anyone catches me, you're paying my fine, Uriah."

"Why me? Marlene dared you," Uriah asks, confusion and hurt on his face.

"Because she's only doing it for you," he says closing the door behind him.

"Can you let me up?" I ask Tobias. I returned to my place on the couch when Christina and I came back from the Pit and he leaned against my legs again. He moves away from me and I get up and pour some ginger ale, which I don't normally like but all of a sudden I'm feeling queasy.

"Are you okay?" Christina asks, following me into the kitchen. I run my hand over my tummy and sip the drink. "Oh, I see."

"I prefer when it hits in the morning," I tell her quietly. "It seems to linger when it happens at any other time." Just then the door flies open and James runs in with a full chocolate Dauntless cake in each of his hands.

"Close the door," he says between gasping breaths. "They're coming after me." Tobias gets up off the floor and closes the door just as two Dauntless patrol members come around the corner. They knock on the door and Tobias opens it.

"Oh, Four," one says. I join him at the door. "Tris. We thought we saw someone who stole two cakes from the cafeteria come this way. Have you seen anything?"

"No," Tobias calmly says while I hold my breath. "We're good here. Thanks." He closes the door then looks out the peephole until the guards leave. "We need to quit the cake dare before we all end up factionless because of it." I notice Uriah isn't wasting anytime. He's in the kitchen cutting the cake.

"Candor or Dauntless, Tris?" James asks. Again already?

"Candor," I say. Uriah can't say pansycake because his mouth is full of cake.

"How many fears do you have?" James asks.

"Oh," I say. "Six." I kind of thought everyone already knew that.

"Really? Four and Six," he says. "You two really do belong together, don't you?" We both smile at him. He's right, we do belong together.

"Lynn, Candor or Dauntless?" I say.

"If you say pansycake, Uriah, I _will_ beat your ass," she says. "Candor." Uriah shakes his head, and the rest of us snicker.

"Have you ever had a one night stand?" I ask.

"Uh, no," she quickly answers.

"Will, Candor or Dauntless?" Lynn asks.

"Dauntless," he says.

"Go to the Pit and kiss the first person you see," she says with a grin and then she finishes, "on the mouth." Will lets out a big sigh.

"Fine," he says. He gets out of the chair he and Christina are sitting in then goes out the door. A few of us follow him down the hall and watch as he walks up to Peter of all people and gives him a closemouthed kiss right on the lips.

"What the _hell_, Will!" Peter says, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and spitting on the Pit floor but Will doesn't say anything. He just turns and walked back to us with a nauseated look on his face. Peter stands there staring at the back of Will's head with his mouth wide open. "That was totally uncalled for."

"I'm not sure I ever want to kiss you again after that," Christina teases when he gets to us then she starts laughing. She wraps her arms around his and leans into him, putting her head on his shoulder.

"I don't want to talk about it," Will says walking into the apartment.

"He kissed Peter," I say with a chuckle.

"Probably the only action Peter's ever gotten," Lynn says with a laugh.

"Ella, Candor or Dauntless?" Will asks when we all settle down.

She contemplates for a moment before answering, "Candor."

"Pansycake," Uriah screams, trying to make up for the two previous Candors he missed. I automatically glance toward the loft but don't see any sign of movement.

"How old were you when you went on your first date?" Will asks. A huge smile crosses her face.

"I was 12 years old and his name was Dillon Wade," she says. "Not only was he my first date but he was also my first kiss and my first boyfriend. I haven't thought about him in years! Those were the days." She sighs. "Ciara, Candor or Dauntless?"

"Yeah! My turn," she says with a huge smile. "Dauntless."

"I dare you to drink 10 shots of pickle juice," Ella asks. She automatically peels off her jacket and wrinkles her nose.

"I hate pickles," she says. "Kirsten, you know the question. What will it be?"

"Dauntless," Ciara says.

"Go out to the Pit and flash your boobs at the first guy you see," she says.

"Seriously! You're not very original, Cici," Kirsten says.

"Does that mean you're chickening out and taking something off?" she asks with hope on her face. Kirsten is the female equivalent of Zeke, fearless and never turns down a challenge.

"Of course not," she scoffs. "Who's coming with me?" Half our friends jump up and follow her out into the hallway. Tobias and I stay behind. They aren't gone two minutes when they all come back laughing hysterically.

"That was great," Zeke says. "You should have seen that guy's face."

"It wasn't as priceless as his wife's face," Uriah says. "I bet you 10 bucks that they're still standing out there frozen in place wondering what the hell just happened."

"Shauna, Candor or Dauntless?" Kirsten says.

"I was wondering when you guys would get to me," she says. "Dauntless."

"I dare you to eat a raw egg," she says.

"Ew, no. That is disgusting," Shauna says taking her jacket off. "Uriah, Candor or Dauntless."

"Do I need to answer that question?" Uriah says.

"Put lipstick on Zeke without using your hands," Shauna says with a slightly evil grin on her face.

"How did I become a part of this?" Zeke asks.

"You love this game and you know it," she says. "So shut up and let Uriah answer. Are you going to do it or are you going to be a _pansycake_?"

"Alright fine," he says. "Marlene can you get me a lipstick?" She gets off his lap, goes to the bathroom, and comes back a moment later with a bright red shade that will go very well on Zeke. We all get our phones out in preparation of filming this dare. Uriah puts the open tube between his teeth then approaches his big brother. He gets close to his face and carefully paints his brother's mouth getting very little on anything but his lips. It's actually very impressive. It makes me wonder if he's done this before. He steps back, and we applaud, luckily not waking Tyler up.

"You two have done that before, right?" I ask trying to keep the grin off my face.

"No," they say at the exact same time, acting like I've offended them. The rounds go like this for a few more hours. The highlights of the night were when Shauna dared Zeke to lick the bathroom floor for two minute; Ciara dared James to cluck like a chicken every time someone said his name for the rest of the night, and it amazes me how many times we have worked his name into the challenges; Tobias dared Kirsten to go to the middle of the Pit and scream at the top of her lungs, "I am woman, hear me roar," then to start roaring; I dared Uriah to act out a death scene from one of his favorite movies in the middle of the Pit, and he got a standing ovation when he was done; and Ella dared Will to randomly ask people in the Pit for a slow dance while singing the song "Barbie Girl." He must have asked 10 people before he finally talked an innocent-looking young girl with bright pink curls to dance with him. When he stopped singing, the girl grabbed Will and laid a big fat kiss right on his lips. I've never seen Christina move so fast in my entire life. She told the girl that we were playing a game and if she ever touched her boyfriend again, she would kindly pound her into the ground. We had to intervene on the girl's behalf. She didn't know what is going on, and she walks away from us trembling. I momentarily wonder if there will be an incident report about this next week.

"Tris, Candor or Dauntless?" Will asks when we return from the Pit.

"This is going to have to be our last round, guys. We need to get Tyler home," I say. Everyone groans at me. Then I add, "Dauntless."

"Give your phone to James," he says and James sighs then clucks like a chicken, eliciting giggles from everyone, "and let him text anything he wants to someone on your contact list," he says. This sounds harmless enough so I dig my phone out of the pocket of the jacket on the floor and pass it to James. I didn't want to take another piece of clothes off because it would leave me in my bras and jeans. He thinks for a moment then sends a message to someone. Within a second he gets a reply and his face goes blank.

"What?" I ask. "Who did you text, James? What are they saying?" This time he doesn't cluck, not that I was wanting him to. I need to know what he did.

"I texted your brother telling him you're expecting a little bundle of joy," James says. Oh, shit, our secret! "He says, 'I know and why are you bothering me this late?'"

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I hope you enjoyed my first attempt at a Candor or Dauntless party. I have to tell you, I found that extremely difficult to write. I don't exactly know why, but I did! **


	19. Chapter 19

I can feel every eye in the room penetrating me right now trying to lift the meaning of my brother's response directly from my brain, and I know I'm about to turn a new brilliant shade of red. This is information Tobias and I had planned on keeping to ourselves until I'm at least 12 weeks along, and I'm not even a full seven weeks yet. Why am I so shy? Why didn't I just take my shirt off and show everyone my sports bra? It wouldn't have been a big deal. And how in the world did Lynn come up with that particular joke for my brother?

"Well ... uh ... um ... I," I stutter. My breathing increases dramatically, and I realize I'm panicking just as Tobias turns and looks at me with a concerned expression on his face.

"Tris, love, you need to calm down. Think of the baby," he quietly says before turning back to our friends. "This isn't something we were going to share with everyone for a while but we aren't going to lie to you either. You're our friends after all. Yes, Tris is six weeks pregnant." Everyone is silent, and I see shock on face after face looking at me, except for Will and Christina, they just have huge grins on their faces. Of course she told him. I wonder why I would think any different.

"Holy shit!" Zeke finally says, breaking the imposing silence, making me jump. "I'm glad your brother already had this news. That would have been a hell of a way to find out he's going to be an uncle."

"Are you going through with the adoption?" Shauna asks with expectation on her face. That seems to be everyone's first question for us when they hear our news but I can't say too much. It was one of the first things I asked Tobias after Dr. Parrish gave us our news.

"Yes, we are," I say, finally finding my voice. At last the panic subsides, and I'm able to breath normally again.

"Are you ... happy?" Ella carefully asks knowing that this could be a painful subject if we aren't pleased.

"Yes, we are," I say with a bright smile on my face, putting my hands on Tobias' shoulders. He reaches up and takes my hands in his and squeezes.

"Very happy as a matter of fact," he says. "We were just extremely shocked when we found out."

"Which was?" James asks, letting the question fade away.

"Sunday morning," Tobias says. "I came out of the shower and found her lying on the floor at the foot of the bed. I took her to the infirmary, and we were given the news after Dr. Parrish ran several tests."

"Well congratulations," Will says. He gets out of his chair and shakes Tobias' hand. We both get up from where we've been sitting most of the night and are receiving hugs, handshakes, kisses, and congratulations when I hear Tyler calling out for me upstairs. I break away from our friends and climb the steep spiral staircase to the second floor. I'm not sure I would like climbing one of these on a daily basis. I find Tyler sitting up in the middle of the queen-sized bed looking around and rubbing his tired eyes.

"Hey, buddy," I say to him and he smiles up at me. "You want to go home?" I think our announcement of my pregnancy officially ended the Candor or Dauntless game. He eagerly nods his head up and down while yawning. "Come here then." I hold my arms out to him, and he crawls across the bed. When he gets close enough, I lean down and pick him up. Then I kiss his little cheek and whisper, "I love you," in his ear. He hugs me tightly as I carefully carry him down the unfamiliar stairs.

"Are you ready to go?" Tobias asks when I reach his side.

"Yeah, I think we should get him home. It's awfully late," I say. "Will you pick up my extra clothes?"

"Sure," he says. He picks up my little pile of clothes I discarded and stuffs them in Tyler's diaper bag. "You want me to take him?"

"No, I've got him," I say, holding him close. I'm not ready to let him go just yet.

"Okay," he says. "Let me know if you change your mind or get too tired." He leans down and gently places his lips to mine and gives me a quick kiss. "Love you."

"I love you, too," I say. "Great party, Uriah, Marlene. I love your place. We'll see you later."

"Thanks, Tris," they say in unison and Uriah adds, "See ya, Four." We say our goodbyes to the rest of our friends and walk to the path that leads its way out of the Pit. About half way home, Nathan and Callen Wright come out of a dimly lit hallway and nearly run into us. It startles me more than it should because my mind was on the baby, and I really wasn't paying attention to where I was going.

"Whoa!" I say, my heart racing. "Hi, Nathan, Callen. It's been a while."

"Sorry," Nathan says, holding his right hand over his heart. I wonder if it's pounding as hard as mine. "It has been a while. How are you? What has you out this time of night?"

"We're good. We were at a party at a friend's new apartment but Tyler woke up so we decided it was time to get home," I say. When Tyler first came to Dauntless, rumors were spreading like a wildfire, and we made the decision to announce who he was and why he was staying with Tobias and me, so we don't have to explain who the sleeping child is in my arms. "What about the two of you?"

"We're coming from a late supper at a friend's place," he says with a warm smile. "I'm sorry that we never had that dinner you invited us to. Maybe we can get together soon. I'd still love to talk to you about your mother."

"I would love that, too," I say. "Are you busy tomorrow night? Well I guess it would be later tonight actually. Four and I could make dinner, then we could have that talk."

"That would be great," Nathan says, then he turns to his son. "Callen, would you like to join us?"

"Sorry, Dad, I already have plans, remember?" he says. Nathan looks like he suddenly remembers something then nods his head. "Thanks for the offer though, Tris. That was nice of you." Callen seems very out of character for a Dauntless member. I wouldn't be surprised if he were to choose a different faction come Choosing Day but on the other hand I can't imagine him leaving his father after everything that's happened with his mother and brother.

"That's okay, Callen. Maybe another time," I say, returning his warm smile. "How about 7:30 p.m., Nathan? Is that a good time for you?"

"It is," he says. "I will see you then." We say our goodbyes and go our separate ways.

"Nathan looks like he's getting along much better these days. So does Callen," Tobias says, looking over his shoulder at the backs of my departing uncle and cousin. "Let me take Tyler now. You look like you're tired." He reaches over and takes the sleeping boy out of my aching arms without waking him. We take our time returning to the Pire, and when we finally reach our apartment, Tobias immediately takes Tyler upstairs and puts him in bed. I can barely put one foot in front of the other and collapse onto the loveseat. I had a really good time tonight. Tobias was right, I needed the distraction and time with our friends but it's definitely past my bedtime. I can't wait for my head to hit my pillow.

"Do you want me to carry you up to bed also," Tobias asks. I slowly open my eyes to find him kneeling right in front of me, his dark blue eyes studying me carefully. Suddenly I'm not in the mood for sleep anymore. I reach out and place my small hands on either side of his handsome face and pull his inviting mouth to mine. I gently move my lips with his for a moment before I run my tongue gently along his full bottom lip, signaling I want him to open his mouth for me. He doesn't disappoint, and I slide my eager tongue in seeking his, and we let them tangle intimately together for what seems like forever. When he moves his hot mouth to the sensitive skin of my neck, I let out a contented sigh. I leisurely run my hands down his body and move his shirt up and over his head. When I see he still has a skin tight black tank top on, I can't help but laugh, and he gives me a strange look.

"How much do I have to take off of you to get you naked?" I ask with a chuckle, running my hands up and down his body while kissing my way up his neck.

"Quite a bit I'm afraid," he throatily says. I look up at him and see a smoldering look in his dark eyes as he slowly runs his fingertips down my sides then takes my t-shirt off over my head. He furrows his eyebrows at me. "Two bras?" I giggle at his statement. I have a sports bra and shorts on over a pair of skimpy black lace lingerie. "Maybe I should be asking how much I have to take off of _you_ to get you naked."

"Probably just as much as you," I say, pulling his mouth back to mine where it belongs. I manage to get his tank top off in between passionate kisses then I push him towards the couch until he's lying flat on his back. I lie down on top of him, giving him my weight, and leisurely kiss him for a time, letting my hands tangle in his hair before I kiss my way down his neck. I linger at his spectacular chest, thoroughly running my tongue around each nipple and kissing every inch of skin without actually touching the sensitive buds until they are standing erect and begging for my attention.

"You're killing me," Tobias roughly says, squirming a bit beneath me, moving his hands up and down my body making my desire climb swiftly.

"That's the idea," I say with a grin, moving further down his body placing wet kisses all around his navel as I unbutton then unzip his jeans. I can feel how much he wants me right now beneath my hands. He lifts his hips so I can slide his pants down his legs and off, well one of his pairs of pants. He still has shorts on over a pair of boxer briefs, and I can't help but laugh out loud again.

"What?" he asks, confusion clear on his face.

"You have so many clothes on. It's like unwrapping a never-ending present," I say with a chuckle. He laughs with me before I give him another kiss. When we need to breathe we both sit up, and he peels my sports bra off as I'm pushing his shorts down over his hips and legs. He unbuttons my jeans and pulls them down my legs, and I step out of them. Now he's laughing noticing I still have a pair of shorts on but he doesn't waste any time putting his hands on their waistband and sliding them down and off my body and throwing them to the floor.

"Maybe we should take this upstairs," I say in his ear. "I would hate for Tyler to walk in on us."

"You're right," Tobias says. He picks me straight up, and I tightly wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist, leaving our discarded clothes where they fell. He carries me up the stairs and straight into our bedroom, never once taking his lips off of mine. He moves his mouth away from mine, gasping for air, and looks deep into my eyes as he shuts the door behind us. He leans us up against the heavy wooden door, and we stare at each other for at least a full minute before his hungry mouth once again lands on mine in a powerful kiss as one hand grips me tightly so the other can roam freely over my body. He pushes me harder into the door, our bodies practically existing in the same space, and pulls my bra strap down my shoulder with his fingertips so he can take my throbbing breast into his hungry mouth. He moves his free hand and snakes it around me and expertly unhooks my bra. I loosen one arm from around his neck, slide my arm free from the piece of black lace lingerie, then repeat with the other side and let it the garment fall to the floor at our feet. He lightly tugs on my sensitive nipple with his teeth causing a sigh to escape my parted lips and my legs to grip his waist tighter. I tangle my fingers in his curls, pulling him closer to me as he switches breasts. He laps at my nipple while his free hand kneads my other breast. I rest my head against the door as Tobias uses his hot, wet mouth and talented hands on my throbbing, aching, tender breasts, driving me absolutely wild.

"I need you," Tobias huskily says, looking deep into my passion-clouded eyes. "Now."

"Then take me, Tobias," I whisper, my chest painfully heaving with exertion. "Right here, right now. I need you, too." He pulls his boxer briefs down with one hand freeing his massive manhood then moves my underwear to the side. He places himself at my moist entrance and buries himself fully within me with one powerful thrust. I gasp at the feeling of him deep inside me and pull his mouth to mine, kissing him with all the love I feel. I tighten my grip around his neck and clasp my ankles tightly around his waist. Tobias has his hands on my bottom, holding my full weight, slowly moving me up and down on his hard length. He moves his mouth to my neck and kisses the sensitive spot beneath my left ear. I immediately feel each touch, caress, and kiss between my legs.

"You are so damn perfect," he says in my ear, thrusting faster and deeper inside me, pressing me harder against the door.

"Oh ... God ... I ... love ... you ... so ... damn ... much ... To ... bi ... as," I say in his ear in between thrusts. We increase the pace and crash into each other over and over, giving ourselves fully to the other. Our mouths, tongues, hands, and bodies move in synchronized harmony, and I feel the familiar pressure start to build just below my navel. We writhe against each other, never getting enough. We increase our furious rhythm further until I explode into a thousand pieces, and he's the only one who can hold me together. He keeps slamming into me at a steady pace, whispering words of love into my ear until he stiffens and releases himself deep within my tight depths.

We let our harsh, uneven breath return to a more normal rhythm before he unburies his head from my hair and looks into my love-clouded eyes. I welcome his soft, pliant lips on mine once again. He kisses me enthusiastically before playfully biting my bottom lip as he pulls away from me causing a gasp to escape my lips. He carries me across the room, lays me on the bed, then follows me down, giving me his full weight, which I absolutely love and long for. We lie together like this getting lost in each other's eyes until he slides out of me, rolls off of me, then gathers me up in his arms.

"I love you, Tris," he says, caressing my messy hair.

"I love you, too," I say, tilting my head back to look into his eyes.

"We should probably get ready for bed. It's really late, and we can't chance Tyler finding us this way," he says running his hand over my naked breasts. If I weren't so exhausted this simple touch could light a new fire deep within me.

"No," I say, holding him closer. "I don't want to move just yet. I just want to lie here with you for a few more minutes."

"I'm alright with that," he says leaning down and placing his lips to mine once again. His hand wanders around my body never staying in one place for more than a few seconds.

"You might not want to kiss me that way and keep touching me if you want any sleep tonight," I breathlessly say, catching his hand in mine. "By the way, I'm taking tomorrow off."

"Yeah, I know," he says while absentmindedly playing with my hair.

"I'm not going to the hospital. They're releasing Dad sometime tomorrow, and he needs his rest. If he's up to it, we can take a couple hours on Sunday morning and go visit him," I say. "I know I have work that's being neglected but I'm going to spend the day with Tyler. He's been so clingy and emotional this week. He's been breaking my heart, and I'm worried about him. I think we need some one-on-one time, just the two of us."

"I think that's a great idea actually," he says with a yawn. He's just as tired as I am.

"Why don't you go get us something to wear," I say forcing myself to move away from his warm body, which is lulling me into sleep. He smiles at me then rolls out of bed and walks across the room to our dresser. I stare at every muscle and every curve of his naked body, cherishing the site. He fishes out a pair of sleep pants for himself and puts them on, eliminating the wonderful view and rummages through one of my drawers. He finally brings me my lone nightgown after turning off our bedroom light and opening our door, and I slide into it then snuggle up next to him again.

"Goodnight, love," he tenderly says in my ear. Then he bends down and kisses my tummy, "Goodnight, Peanut. Your daddy loves you so much." This act nearly brings tears to my eyes.

"Goodnight, Tobias," I say giving him a gentle kiss. I roll over in his arms, he pulls me against him like he has done hundreds of times before, and we fall together into a peaceful sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

I suddenly open my eyes and quickly realize that nausea woke me up. I struggle to free myself from Tobias' strong embrace, slide out of bed, and run as fast as I can into the bathroom. I kneel in front of the stool just in time. Every time I feel like I'm done getting sick, a new wave of nausea washes over me, and I find myself face down in the toilet again. After about 20 excruciating minutes, I feel like I can finally get up off the floor. I stand in front of the sink and stare at myself in the mirror. I look kind of green, I'm visibly sweaty, and I have a sickly look about me. I pick up my toothbrush and thoroughly brush my teeth and rinse my mouth out.

"Hey, are you okay?" Tobias asks from the doorway. I turn and look at him. He frowns, comes over to me, and pulls me into his arms. He rubs my back with one hand as he lovingly strokes my messy hair with the other. "No offense, love, but you look like hell."

"I kind of feel like hell," I say into his chest.

"Is there anything I can get for you?" he asks, releasing me from his embrace.

"Do we have any ginger ale left?" I ask, the nausea making itself known again. Ever since my first bout of morning sickness earlier this week, I've been drinking ginger ale to settle my queasy stomach even though I find the taste to be less than desirable.

"I don't think so but I'll be happy to go get you some more," he says. "Would you like anything else?"

"How about some crackers, too," I say. "I would really appreciate it, Tobias."

"Why don't you go downstairs and rest while I get ready to go to the store," he says kissing my forehead. When he turns to go into the hallway, I let out a startled gasp. He immediately stops and turns back to me, worry in his beautiful blue eyes.

"I must have scratched you last night ... a lot," I manage to shyly say, a blush coloring my cheeks. I grab his arm, turn his body away from me, and lightly run my fingertips down the four parallel lines about six inches long on his left shoulder and multiple marks over the rest of his back then kiss each and every one of the scratches. I don't remember scratching him but during the throws of passion I know I hold him tight and long for him to be closer still. "I'm sorry, Tobias."

"It's alright, Tris," he says turning back to me and lifting my chin so I'm looking in his devoted eyes. "I think I'll live." He smiles brightly, which erases my bad mood almost as soon as it began. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull his mouth to mine. I kiss him tenderly until he pulls away from me, and I let out a long drawn-out sigh. Tobias goes into our bedroom to get ready, and I make my way downstairs. I switch the stereo on then turn the volume down so it is just soft background noise and lie down on my side on the couch. I must have fallen asleep while Tobias was upstairs because the next thing I know I hear Tyler coming down the stairs dragging a blanket behind him. He comes to the couch and stands directly in front of me.

"Twis, you okay?" he asks, putting his hand on my cheek.

"I'm okay, honey. I just have a little tummy ache," I say to him, patting his little hand.

"Sit wit you?" he says.

"Sure, buddy," I say, slowly maneuvering myself into a sitting position. Luckily there is no nausea. He climbs up on the couch, and I put him on my lap, wrap us up in his blanket, and we cuddle together until Tobias comes back from the commissary with ginger ale, saltines, and graham crackers.

"Well everyone's awake," he says, putting the few groceries on the counter. "Do you want something to eat?"

"Actually I would like some eggs," I say. "What about you, Tyler? Are you hungry?" He nods at me. "Yeah, Tyler and I would love some breakfast. Do you want some help?"

"No," he says. "You stay right there. You both look awfully cozy. I wish I could join you."

"You can," I say over my shoulder. "There's plenty of room and breakfast can wait for a little while."

"Yeah, Fo," Tyler says, leaning over and patting the couch next to us. "Come sit."

"I can't argue with a command like that," he says with a laugh. He comes and sits down next to us, and we all cuddle close together on the couch.

"How are you feeling, Tris?" he asks me.

"Much better now, thank you," I say. "You probably didn't have to rush to the store to get me ginger ale but I appreciate that you did."

"You know I would do anything for you," he says.

"I love our life," I say looking into Tobias' eyes then kissing Tyler's head. "Promise it will always be this way."

"If you want our life to be like this, I'll do anything in my power to make sure that I can give it to you," he says leaning over Tyler's head and kissing me sweetly on the cheek. "I'll make us breakfast now. I love you, both of you."

After breakfast, Tobias kisses Tyler and me goodbye then heads off to work. I take a quick shower while Tyler plays quietly in his room then get us both ready for our day. I still haven't figured out exactly what to do so I decide to ask him.

"I'm not going to work today. What do you want to do, Tyler?" I ask. "It's your choice."

"Pawk," he says with excitement visible on his face.

"You want to go to the park?" I say and he nods his head at me. "Okay. How about we pack a lunch and go to the park."

"Yeah!" he says jumping up and down, clapping his hands together. "Go bye-bye to pawk with Twis!" Tyler and I slowly walk hand-in-hand down to the commissary in the Pit so we can buy a picnic lunch. After we say hello to Ella who manages the commissary, I lead him to our car. I decide to drive since it's a little far to walk by ourselves. I don't think I could carry him the entire way home if he were to fall asleep without totally exhausting myself. Tyler is so excited but I can't tell if it's because I'm taking him to the park or because he's with me.

I pull our car into one of the large parks many parking lots beside a few other vehicles. There are a handful of families here today, which is perfect. It's not too crowded that we won't enjoy ourselves but it isn't deserted enough to make me feel unsafe. I get Tyler out of the car, leaving our lunch in the little built-in cooler, and we play for hours on all the playground equipment: Slides, swings, seesaws, swinging bridges, merry-go-rounds, and more. I swear I must go down the slide with him a hundred times, and I stand in the same place swinging him for a good 30 minutes.

"I'm going to sit on that bench right there," I tell Tyler, pointing to a black and green wooden park bench. I need to rest but there is no sign of his energy fading. "You can still play." He climbs the stairs to the swinging bridge and runs back and forth for what seems like hours while I sit watching him.

"Hello, Beatrice," says a familiar voice. I look up over my shoulder and see a face I haven't seen in months.

"Robert, how are you?" I say surprised to see my childhood friend, Robert Black, who just happens to be Tyler's half-brother and the oldest son of Ethan Black, Evelyn's married lover.

"I'm good," he says sitting down beside me on the little bench. "What's brought you to the family park today?"

"I'm spending the day with my boyfriend's little brother, Tyler" I say. It's quite easy to see who I'm watching. Tyler is the only Dauntless child playing on the playground equipment. "What about you?"

"I'm here with my girlfriend's family," he says. "We come here quite often when we're in the city. I thought it was you sitting here alone so figured I would come over and say hello." A young girl dressed in yellow and red with flowing strawberry blonde hair comes running up to Robert with a ball in her hands.

"Robby, are you going to play or not?" she asks. Robby? I've known him my entire life, and I've never heard anyone call him anything other than Robert.

"Yeah, I'll be over soon," he says. "I'm saying hello to an old friend I grew up with."

"Okay," she says. She frowns a bit as she looks me over. I hope she doesn't think there is anything between the two of us. "Just hurry. We're all waiting for you. Mom said we can't start until you're there." She runs back to a small group of Amity playing with a couple different balls in an empty field across from the playground.

"That's Rachel, my girlfriend Martha's little sister. She's very spirited," he says.

"Not used to it are you?" I say remembering our rather passive Abnegation upbringing. "Tyler has so much energy. When Four, that's my boyfriend's name, and I started watching him, he would run me ragged. I wasn't used to kids acting like that."

"Life outside Abnegation is a total mystery that I've enjoyed investigating," he says with a warm smile.

"I know what you mean, Robert," I say with a chuckle. It's nice to talk to another person who has gone through similar life experiences to my own.

"Well it was nice seeing you again, Beatrice," he says giving me an awkward one-armed hug.

"Twis, Twis. Who this?" Tyler asks running over to me, full of curiosity. I hold my breath as Robert takes in the sight of the toddler standing in front of him.

"This is my old friend Robert," I finally say. "We grew up together in Abnegation."

"Hi," Tyler says with a happy grin on his face. "I Ty."

"It's nice to meet you, Tyler," Robert says. If he's suspicious about Tyler's familiar looks, he doesn't say anything about it, and he doesn't let it show. I'm able to breathe a sigh of relief at this turn of events.

"Goodbye, Robert," I say trying to cut this unexpected reunion short. "It was nice to see you again."

"Bye, Beatrice," he says. "It was nice seeing you, too. You've really changed over the past months. It was nice meeting you too, Tyler." He gets up off the bench and jogs across the street to where his friends are patiently waiting for him, never looking back.

"Are you ready for lunch?" I ask Tyler. He nods his head so I go to the parking lot and get our lunches out of the cars cooler. We head to one of the weather-darkened concrete picnic tables under one of the stately oak shade trees throughout the park. We eat turkey sandwiches, baby carrots with dill dip, sweet potato chips, and apple slices with caramel dip. We even share a lemon-lime soda after we each drink a bottle of refreshing water. When we're done eating, we play for another couple hours.

When I notice Tyler slowing down, I suggest we head for home, and he doesn't even argue with me. We aren't in the car five minutes when I glance in the rearview mirror and see that he is out like a light. Luckily I texted Will before we left the park and asked him to meet us in the underground garage to help get Tyler home since Tobias is visiting Evelyn at the hospital this afternoon. I pull into the garage and find Will patiently waiting for me beside our usual parking place.

"Thank you so much, Will," I say after getting out of the car. "I really appreciate this. I probably could get him home myself but Four keeps telling me to think of the baby."

"I'm happy to help, Tris," he says with a smile. "I would like to think that Four would help Christina if she needed help moving something heavy and I wasn't around." He carefully picks Tyler up out of his car seat without waking him up and carries him to my apartment for me. He even puts him in his bed. I thank him profusely, and he assures me that he was happy to do it. I take advantage of the alone time to lie down in bed to rest up from our rambunctious afternoon outing. I didn't think I was tired enough to fall asleep but the next thing I know I'm opening my eyes finding Tobias lying next to me running his fingers through my hair.

"What time is it?" I ask sleepily.

"A little after 5:00 p.m.," he says. "How was your day with Tyler? What did you two do?"

"It was wonderful," I say. I tell him every detail of our outing including running into Robert.

"You really think Robert didn't recognize his own father in Tyler?" Tobias says, furrowing his eyebrows.

"He didn't seem to," I say. "Where is Tyler?"

"Downstairs watching _Cars_," he says with a "you already should have known that" kind of grin on his face. "He was in his room playing with his dump truck and fire engine when I got home. I took him downstairs and told him I was coming up here to get you. He seems much more like his happy old self. Thank you so much for that. I was so worried about him."

"I'm glad he's doing better," I say. "I was worried, too." I reach up and run my hand down his cheek then move my lips to his. I kiss him for a time making sure not to ignite a fire we can't put out not only because Tyler is awake and watching a movie downstairs but because we have company coming in less than two hours. I sigh after pulling away from him. "I love you, Tobias."

"I love you, too, Tris," he says. "Why don't you get ready for tonight, and I'll start the spaghetti sauce."

"Okay," I say sitting up. "Oh, how's Evelyn?"

"Unfortunately, she wasn't feeling very well today but the nurses assured me the baby is fine. They think it was morning sickness," he says sitting up also.

"I'm glad the baby is okay but I feel bad that Evelyn's not feeling well," I say. I think about my unpleasant morning sickness from just this morning and I can't help but sympathize with his mother, something I never thought I would do. "Does she know about Peanut? Did you tell her?" I automatically put my hands over my tummy when I talk about the baby. I think it's a reflex.

"No, she doesn't know," he says. "We'll tell her together sometime. It doesn't have to be anytime soon."

"Are you sure, Tobias? She is your mother," I say. "We told my family and our friends. We can tell your family if you want to."

"I don't want to," he says matter-of-factly getting out of bed. He paces in front of the bed for a moment before he stops and looks at me. "I know it may seem like I've been getting closer to her these past few weeks but that isn't entirely true. I'm trying, I swear but sometimes I can't even look at her without remembering the hell that her leaving put me through. I'm sorry I haven't told you any of this but I still have trouble thinking about her let alone talking about her."

"I had no idea, Tobias," I say, getting out of bed and wrapping him in my arms. He puts his chin on top of my head and sighs. "I'm sorry. We'll tell her whenever _you_ are ready." Before I let Tobias go downstairs to start supper, I go up on my tiptoes, and wrap my arms around his neck. I draw his mouth to mine and kiss him passionately.

We go our separate ways after we break away from each other, a little more breathless than either one would like. He goes downstairs to start supper, and I go into the bathroom to get ready for our company. I take a quick shower, washing off my hectic day then dress in a long-sleeved dark gray knee-length wrap dress and black leather boots that hit me a few inches below my knees. I do my hair and put on my typical natural-looking makeup before I run a bath for Tyler. I retrieve him from in front of the TV and get him ready for bed. I have to promise that he can watch the rest of the movie before he will come with me though. Tobias almost has to intervene but Tyler finally relents and agrees.

"You look beautiful," Tobias calls out to me as I'm climbing back up the stairs with Tyler right behind me. I tell him thanks as a blush colors my cheeks. After I give Tyler a bath and dress him in a pair of dinosaur pajamas I let him pick out, Tobias comes upstairs to take a shower and get dressed. He tells me that supper is totally under control, and there shouldn't be anything for me to do but sit with Tyler until Nathan comes over. At a few minutes before 7:30 p.m. there's a knock on the door. Tobias tells me to stay put, and he invites Nathan inside.

"Wow, something smells absolutely incredible," Nathan says, taking in his surroundings.

"Four made homemade spaghetti and meatballs," I say getting up from the couch to greet my uncle. "I'm so glad we could do this tonight." I feel Tyler pull on the hem of my dress, and I pick him up. "Nathan, I would like to formally introduce you to Tyler, Four's little brother. Tyler this is my uncle, Nathan. Do you remember Natalie?" He nods his head at me. "This is her brother like Four is your brother."

"Hi," Tyler says reaching his hand out to Nathan. "I Ty." Nathan takes Tyler's little hand in his and shakes it.

"Well, Tyler, you have to be the best behaved boy I've ever met," Nathan says with a warm smile. "It's really nice to meet you. I wish my son Callen could have made it tonight but he already had plans with his friends."

"If you would like to have a seat at the island, I will serve supper in just a few minutes," Tobias says. He has already set four place settings at the island with our good china, which we've never used before, two on the far side of the island and two on the right side, which is a better setup for conversation. I put Tyler in his regular booster seat then sit down beside him and Nathan sits down beside me. Tobias puts serving bowls of pasta, spaghetti sauce with meatballs, lettuce salad with Italian dressing and Romano cheese, and large slices of buttery garlic bread on the island then fills each goblet with ice water and the wine glasses with sparkling cider. He gets Tyler's sippy cup of milk out of the refrigerator, hands it to him, and then finally sits down on the other side of Nathan. We let our guest serve himself first then I dish out some food for Tyler and myself. While I am cutting up Tyler's supper so he can better eat it, Tobias serves himself.

We have a lovely supper. Tobias has outdone himself with the food. It is absolutely the most delicious dinner I've ever eaten, and I've had a lot of his home-cooked meals over the past six months. We talk about Dauntless current events and what our hopes are for the upcoming initiates. Nathan voices his concerns as to whether Callen will stay or go, a worry for every parent throughout the city when their child turn 16. He is very open about the fact that he and Callen both have sought out extensive counseling since finding out about Dru and Cameron's betrayal and witnessing their interrogations and executions. They are slowly coming to terms with what was done to them as well as countless other people. Nathan feels partially responsible for Cameron's actions even though he had no control over his oldest son, especially after he left Dauntless. But what he feels the worst about is looking back over what he thought was a perfect life with his wife and two sons and seeing the signs of how unhappy Dru was with everything and everyone. He didn't even know about Dru's assault by Dawson Andresen. He knew she spent more than a week in the infirmary after what he was told was a nearly fatal accident but she never felt close enough to him to confide her greatest secret. He wishes he could have helped her but he knows she never loved him the way he still loves her.

When we are done with supper, we take our conversation into the living room. Tobias and I sit side-by-side on our love seat and Nathan sits on the couch. Tyler is quietly playing with a box full of puzzles at the foot of the stairs.

"He amazes me," Nathan says staring at Tyler. "He is the best-behaved child I've ever seen in my life."

"He is remarkable," I say with a huge smile.

"Has anyone told you how much he looks like the both of you," he says still eyeing Tyler.

"The first time I saw him it amazed me how much he looks like Four, except for the eyes," I say. "I swear he has my eyes."

"I saw the exact same thing," Tobias says, putting his hand on my knee.

"He could easily pass as your biological child," he says making my heart ache. He doesn't know what his words are doing to me right now. He doesn't know that I already think of him as my son.

"Tell me, Nathan," I say. "What was it like growing up in Dauntless with my mom?" I want to get the conversation off of Tyler as soon as I can. "She's told me a little bit about your parents but I would really like to hear what you think about them." I know that Caleb and I have different views on things so I imagine that my mom and her brother do too.

He tells us almost the exact same story that my mom told Tobias and me back in December when we were trying to figure out if Nathan had anything to do with the lists. He tells us his father, Henry Jackson Wright, was a critical man who was very hard to please and that he died young simply because he drank too much and fell into the chasm one evening after he had an altercation in the bar. There were rumors at the time around the compound that the man who he assaulted in the bar actually pushed him into the chasm but it was never proven. This is the reason why Nathan never touches alcohol and never allows it in his home. He loved his father simply because he was his father but he had no respect for him as a man. He now knows that he withdrew from his family after his father's death. He wanted to make sure that he didn't turn out anything at all like him so he taught himself how to be a good Dauntless soldier or what he thought that would entail. He got into a little bit of trouble growing up with his friends but nothing serious.

He tells us that he loved his mother, Grace Elizabeth Teagues Wright, with everything he had until her death 12 years ago from heart failure. According to him, she was the sweetest, kindest, smartest, most caring person he has ever known in his entire life. In his opinion, her one downfall was how much she loved his father. Nathan encouraged his mother to go out and meet new people and perhaps find someone new to share her life with but she never did. Apparently, she loved Henry Wright faithfully until the day she died more than likely from a broken heart.

He tells us that he and my mother were inseparable when they were children. They did everything they could do together and not because they were forced by their parents to do it but because they actually liked spending time with one another. They were extremely close until their father died. He blames himself fully for their falling out, as he put it. He now wishes he would have told her how he was feeling instead of shutting her out. He was disappointed and completely baffled when Mom chose Abnegation over Dauntless. He tells me that she was the most Dauntless of him and all his friends. He wasn't expecting her to leave, not at all. He knew she had mentioned a boy from Erudite once during upper levels but he didn't know it was serious enough for them both to leave their factions and join another one just so they could be together. He doesn't hold any ill feelings towards my mother, he just misses her terribly and has ever since the day she left.

"She even has a small tattoo under her arm," he says catching me off guard. I can't imagine my mother having a tattoo. "She is the only person I've ever known to get one before initiation. When she did that, I thought for sure she would stay."

"Did she have a lot of friends?" I ask. Mom told me about each of Nathan's friends when we talked but he hasn't mentioned a single friend of hers but neither did she come to think about it.

"She had one close friend named Annora ... Jenkins, I think," he says. "She transferred out of Dauntless the same year as your mother but I never heard where she went." He smiles widely then continues. "They were like two peas in a pod. They did _everything_ together. As a matter of fact, Annora is the one who talked your mom into getting the tattoo but Annie chickened out at the last minute and never got one herself." Annie? Hmmm, Mom's best friend in Abnegation first name is Annie. I wonder if it is the same person. He glances at the clock on the wall and his eyes widen. It is well after midnight. We've been talking for hours. "I really should get going. I didn't mean to overstay my welcome. I've had a lovely time tonight." We all stand up and he moves towards our door.

"It was great listening to your stories about Mom and my grandparents, and you didn't overstay your welcome. You are welcome here at any time," I say. "Thank you so much for coming over tonight. We should get together more often."

"I would like that," he says reaching out and pulling me into a quick embrace. "You remind me so much of your mother at times ... and my mother for that matter. The next time you see her, please give her my love."

"I will, Nathan," I say and then he leaves.

"What a wonderful night," I say to Tobias who is in the kitchen cleaning up. He sat quietly listening to Nathan and me all night except when he put Tyler to bed so our dinner is still sitting out. I help him so we can go to bed together. It doesn't take us long before the kitchen looks brand new and we head upstairs to get a good night's sleep.

"Have you heard from your mom today?" he asks while he's putting his pajama bottoms on. I keep my eyes averted because I'm much too tired to make love to him tonight but I know the flames of desire will burn through me wanting me to change my mind if I see him in his spectacular nakedness.

"She texted me a little after noon and said Dad is home," I say after I finish brushing my teeth. "I asked if we could visit tomorrow and she told me she will get back with me in the morning. Let's go to bed. You must be just as exhausted as I am."

"I am," he says, taking my hand and leading me into our bedroom so we can get a good night's sleep.


	21. Chapter 21

**PLEASE NOTE: This chapter contains strong language, strong violence, and strong sexual content. Please be advised. If you are not comfortable reading this kind of material, please skip this chapter. **

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><p><em>I hope this isn't going to be a new mourning ritual<em>, I think to myself as I tightly clasp my hand over my mouth and run as fast as I can to the bathroom to get sick. This is the second morning in a row that nausea has woken me up. I would rather have Tyler wake me up at 5:00 a.m. every day for the rest of my life just to cuddle instead of being here on my hands and knees in front of the toilet feeling as if my insides are about to come out my mouth all at once at any moment. After the horrific sensation finally subsides, I thoroughly brush my teeth then step into the shower stall for a long, hot shower using my new invigorating green apple body wash, shampoo, and conditioner. I'm hoping the scent will fully wake me up and get me ready for my day. When I'm nearly finished, I hear the bathroom door open, and I see Tobias stumble in half awake.

"Want to join me?" I ask, sticking my head out the shower door after relieves himself. He smiles brightly at me, shuts the bathroom door, and joins me in the shower. We play for a time, laughing and running our hands all over each other's slippery bodies. I even wash his hair and every inch of his hard body.

"You want to?" he roughly asks, desire and love mingling in his lust-darkened eyes. I don't have to think twice about his proposition. I was about ready to ask him the exact same question. He hastily pulls my mouth to his, kissing me almost brutally. I feel his powerful desire pressing against my leg. He powerfully pushes me back against the cold tile wall and runs his sure hands up and down my small body. One large hand finally stops at my small, throbbing breast, kneading softly causing an aching want to localize between my thighs, while his other hand finds my moist center. He deliberately enters me with two fingers and circles my aching nubbin with his thumb as I firmly grasp his throbbing, hard length with my small fingers, gliding my glove-like fist easily up and down with the assistance of the water. He impatiently puts his lips on mine and kisses me fiercely. When I open my mouth to his probing tongue, he eagerly thrusts it in and mates it with mine. He quickens the in-and-out pace he sets with his fingers, and I match his speed with my fist on his manhood. When he removes his fingers from me, I release him from my firm grip. He effortlessly lifts me straight up, and I tightly wrap my arms around his neck and legs around his hips. He buries himself to the hilt with one forceful thrust causing a lustful gasp to escape my parted lips. He carefully turns us around and sits down on the little shower seat in the corner so that we won't fall on the slippery tile. My feet easily touch the ground in this position, and I'm able to lift myself until just the head of his aching shaft is still inside my tight, wet womanhood then force myself back down fully as he powerfully thrusts his hips upwards. His mouth crashes into mine, catching my passionate scream. I hold onto him tightly as I writhe and wriggle against his hips, feeling my orgasm climbing to incredible heights. We move together faster and faster until I shatter round him in a fulfilling release as he empties himself fully into my depths. I rest my head on his broad shoulder for a time letting my heart rate return to normal and I feel his arms tighten around my waist holding me to him. He puts both hands on either side of my face, pulls my mouth to him, and kisses me tenderly.

"Wow, we should do that every morning. I'd rather have _you_ wake me up than the nausea I had this morning," I say, staring into the depths of his stormy blue eyes while running my fingers through his hair. "I love you, Tobias," I whisper against his lips before kissing him lovingly.

"I love you, too, Tris," he says with a chuckle, his lips still on mine. I finally lift myself off his softening manhood and pull him to his feet. We quickly repeat our shower then get ready for our day knowing full well that Tyler's in his room waiting for us. I send Tobias downstairs to make us some breakfast and get Tyler dressed.

"I hope everyone is hungry," Tobias says over his shoulder when Tyler and I come down the stairs. "I made blueberry pancakes and bacon. Milk is already on the island." I know this probably isn't the best thing for me to be eating right now but at the mention of what he fixed, my stomach growls loudly.

"It sounds great to me," I say lifting Tyler into his booster seat.

"By the way, I think you have a message on your phone," Tobias says, putting a platter of pancakes on the island. "It's been buzzing since I started making breakfast."

"Thanks," I tell him. I walk to where my phone is being charged and listen to the voice message from my mom. "Dad had a restless night. Mom doesn't think it's a good idea for him to have any visitors today. Well, there goes our plans. I'll let you decide what you want to do today, Tobias." I make Tyler a plate while I watch Tobias working in the kitchen. I know what Tobias and I would be doing all day if Tyler weren't with us but he is so I shake off the thought. I put his pancakes in front of him and he digs in. Maybe I didn't give him enough supper last night. He seems awfully hungry this morning.

"Slow down, Tyler, or you might choke," Tobias says noticing him shoveling his breakfast in also. "What would you like to do today? I'm going to leave it up to you, Tyler." Tyler's eyes light up as he takes a bite of the crispy bacon. I wonder what he'll want to do today.

"Pawk," he says.

"You want to go to the park again today?" I ask. "We just went there yesterday. I think you need to think of something else to do like swimming or baking cookies."

"No," he says, shaking his head stubbornly. He looks exactly like Tobias right now. "Pawk."

"Tyler has spoken, the park it is," Tobias says shrugging his shoulders at me. We eat the rest of our breakfast then go to the commissary to pack a picnic lunch just like Tyler and I did yesterday.

Tobias drives us to the exact same play area we visited yesterday and parks the car. I notice that there aren't a lot of people around again but I feel perfectly safe since Tobias is here with us today. We play for hours, chasing each other and climbing over every inch of the enormous jungle gym. We use the slide so many times I lose count. Thankfully, Tobias pushes Tyler on the swing today as I sit resting on the little bench while I watch them. Around noon, I go to the car and retrieve our lunch from the cooler. I spread the blanket I brought with us on the ground under the large oak shade tree and unwrap the ham sandwiches and open the packages of chips, carrots, apples, and dips. When I have everything ready, I call them over, and we have a leisurely lunch. After we're done eating, Tyler goes back to the play area while Tobias lies down with his head in my lap.

"Do you want to go home?" I ask as I play with his curls. "You look tired." I run my fingertips along the shadows under his eyes.

"Tyler's having too good of a time to leave yet," he says, raising his head off my lap and looking at his little brother. "Let's give him some more time."

"Sounds good to me," I say. We lounge on the blanket watching Tyler run himself ragged for over an hour. Just when we decide it's time to go, I see Dr. Parrish and his family approaching us.

"Tyler!" Zane screams, running toward his best friend.

"Zane!" They run toward each other and give one another a big hug. Zane takes off for the slide with Tyler right on his heels. It's going to be like pulling teeth to get him to go home now.

"Tris, Four, it's really nice to see you," Zander says as he sits down on the park bench next to us.

"Hi, guys," Tobias says as I say, "Hello!"

"Those two kill me," Stella says watching Zane and Tyler run after each other all over the place. "They have so much energy." We watch all the kids, expect for Avery – she is sitting on the other side of the tree reading a book – play on the jungle gym.

"I wish I had a quarter of their energy," I say with a sigh. "I'd like to bottle it and sell it. I'd make a lot of money."

"I would partner on it with you," Stella says with a laugh.

"Tyler, I'm going to give you 10 more minutes then we're going home," Tobias says. Tyler frowns at us then starts pouting.

"If you don't mind Tyler can stay with us," Zander quietly says making sure that Zane and Tyler can't overhear us. "Zane would love to spend more time with him.

"He hasn't had a nap yet," I say. "He could be grouchy."

"I've raised six kids, Tris," Stella says. "I can handle grouchy." Tobias looks at me and I nod.

"It's okay with me," I say. "We'll ask him."

"Tyler, come here," Tobias says. He comes running over to us. "Would you like to stay here with Zane and his family? Zander and Stella will bring you home later." He stands in front of us for a while.

"We're stopping for ice cream before we go home, Tyler. You're more than welcome to come with us," Avery says, peeking from around the tree.

"I stay with Zane," Tyler finally says before throwing himself into my arms. He hugs me tightly then kisses my cheek.

"Have fun, sweetie," I say kissing the top of his head before he takes off.

"Thanks, Stella, Zander," Tobias says. "Text me when you get close to the compound, and I will meet you in the garage."

"Sounds good, Four," Zander says, shaking his outstretched hand. Tobias picks up the blanket, shakes off the debris, folds it, and slings it over his arm. We walk hand-in-hand back to the car after saying our goodbyes. We wave at Tyler and our friends as we drive away from the park.

"Do you want to stop and see your mom," I ask.

"Not really," he says. "What do you say about spending some time in the training room? It's been ages." Excitement rushes through me at the mention of one of my favorite places in Dauntless. He's right, we don't get to the training room enough these days.

"It sounds great," I say, leaning over and quickly kissing his lips, which he turned to me at the last second. When we get back to the compound we park the car, go straight home and change into workout clothes.

"Do you remember the last time we were here together?" I ask as we go through the heavy metal door that leads into the training room. The sweat, metal, and dust smell hits me in the face and comfort washes over my body.

"Together?" he says then smiles. "I brought you down here the morning of the Christmas party for target practice."

"I'd been feeling so down, lost, and out of control, and you knew exactly what to do," I say. "Did I ever thank you for that?"

"Yeah, you did, repeatedly," he say. "What would you like to do today?"

"Target practice, of course," I say, rolling my eyes.

"Of course! I should have known that," he says with a grin. He goes to the locked metal cabinet on the wall and retrieves two guns and plenty of ammunition. He loads both guns and hands one to me. I line myself up with the target just like Tobias taught me my second day of initiation, raise the weapon, and empty it into the target, hitting the center each time. A smile brightens my face. I reload the gun several times and as I repeat each step, I feel a little more centered. I hear his phone buzz, and he looks at his message.

"They just left the part and are going to stop for ice cream at a parlor in the city," he says. "When they're on their way home, Zander is going to text me again. Apparently, Tyler is being really good. He'll need a short nap when he gets home or he'll be a bear later."

"Did you expect anything less?" I say.

"I better get these guns locked back up." I step to the other side of the room where the long row of punching bags hangs while he locks away the weapons. I start my hour-long workout routine and am almost half way through when Tobias' phone sounds again. He stops his workout and goes to his phone.

"They just left the ice cream parlor and are about 20 minutes away," he says. "Do you want to walk with me to the garage and pick him up?" I look at him for a moment.

"I think I'm going to stay here and finish my workout," I say. "I'll meet you at home. It's my night to cook but maybe you could think of something for me to make. My mind is a blank."

"I'll think of something. Don't be long," Tobias says. "Tyler will be missing you after playing with Zane all afternoon."

"I promise, I won't be long, Four," I reply. I stand on my tiptoes and place a light kiss on his lips, trying to avoid touching his sweaty body. "I just want to finish this workout. I love you."

"Love you, too, Six," he says with a huge grin on his face. I shake my head at him right before his eager mouth lands on mine, kissing me passionately, and he presses every inch of his sweaty body is up against mine.

"Go," I say, pushing him away from me and drawing an agonized breath through my lips, "before I do something I can't be held accountable for." I step closer to him and put my mouth to his ear. "Like ripping your clothes off and taking you right here on the mat." He pulls away from me with an even bigger grin on his face.

"Don't make promises you can't keep, little girl," he says. I put my hands on hips and cock my head to one side. "Maybe I'll let you do that to me later though."

"Go, Four," I say, pointing toward the door. He kisses my cheek then turns and jogs out of the training room, looking back at me with a huge grin on his face as the door shuts. My stomach tightens thinking about what it would be like to make love to him in the middle of this room, which has become so much a part of me. Maybe ... one day. I move to the punching bags to finish the rest of my routine that I have memorized and think about what I will let Tobias do to me after Tyler goes to bed.

The sound of the slamming door brings me back to reality. I expect to see Tobias thinking he forgot something but Peter stumbles into the room instead. I haven't seen him around the compound much since he helped us on New Year's Eve, which I'm grateful for. Ever since he announced that he is in love with me, it's been very awkward. I'll see him watching me from time to time in the cafeteria, the Pit, and other places. I'm grateful for his help with Cameron but I wish he'd never said anything to me about his feelings. I turn my attention back to the punching bag wanting to finish my work out trying to ignore his presence. An odd feeling sweeps over me, and I turn my head to the right. Peter is standing within a foot of me with a passive look on his face. I nearly jump out of my skin.

"What are you doing, Peter?" I ask, my heart rate accelerating.

"Why didn't you chose me?" he says. The smell of alcohol floats across the limited space between us and fear starts to creep up on me. Alcohol can make people do things they normally wouldn't do. "I told you that I love you and ... nothing. You never said anything, you just used me to save yourself. You're still with that walking, emotionless robot of yours. Did you even think for one minute that I might be better for you than _him_?" Anger immediately replaces the approaching fear, and I slap him across the face hard leaving a perfect outline of my small hand.

"Don't you _ever_ talk about him like that," I say. I turn to leave but he roughly grabs me by the throat and pushes me through the punching bags toward the back of the room. He shoves me hard against the stone wall, holding me tightly by the throat, not allowing me to move. I grasp at his hands trying to get him to loosen his grip on me but it does no good. His other hand roams slowly but freely up and down my body. Bile starts to rise into my throat. I want to scream but he has such a tight hold on me that a whisper wouldn't come out right now.

"I think it's time you find out what it's like to be with a real man," he says, crashing his lips into mine. I keep my mouth still as he attempts to kiss me. He gets angry when I don't respond, and he releases his hold on me and punches me in the jaw making my eyes water. One hand goes to my throat and the other goes to my jaw. I flashback to initiation as pain shoots through my face. Eric made me fight Peter the morning after he had Tobias throw knives at me for standing up for Al. Peter put me in the infirmary for over a day with just one punch.

"You promised," I say, still holding my jaw, grasping for anything that will make him stop. I hold my other hand out in front of me hoping to stop anything else he tries. He looks at me with hate and lust in his eyes. "When you told me you loved me on New Year's Eve, you said you were sorry for every bad thing you ever did to me and that you would never hurt me again, Peter. You're hurting me. You promised. Please think about what you're doing." He looks in my eyes for a long moment before he takes two steps forward so that every inch of his body is pressed up against mine and gets right in my face. I have to turn my head to get away from his foul-smelling breath. He places one hand on my pregnancy-swollen breast and squeezes almost brutally and his other hand gropes between my legs. I'm pushing him away from me but he doesn't budge. Tears moisten my eyes but I hold in a scream. I refuse to show him any fear.

"I'm going to fuck you tonight," he says matter-of-factly. My eyes widen, and I can't help but stop breathing. "That's all I've ever wanted since I saw that tight, little, perfect body of yours when I stole your towel in the dorm that day during initiation. I'm sure you remember that don't you but I bet you didn't know that you made me hard almost instantly. I'm hard right now." He forces my hand down to feel the stiff bulge in his pants. "I was going to do it the night at the chasm but Drew and Al weren't very helpful. As a matter of fact Al didn't want any part of it. Drew didn't mind but he wasn't as eager as I was, and then Four got in the way. Well he's not here now, is he?" He puts his mouth up to my ear and whispers, "I'm going to shove my big, fat, hard dick in that hot, tight pussy of yours, and if you're good, I'll even fuck that tight little ass of ours and your hot, wet mouth. I bet you've never done _that_ with Four, you guys being _stiffs_ and all. As a matter of fact, I think that's what I'm going to start with right now. Get on your knees." He heartlessly shoves me down to the floor. I'm gasping for air as I think of what he just said. Oh, God. He's going to rape me. I've got to get away from him. He can't do this. I can't let him do this. Why didn't I just go with Tobias when he asked me to? Peter rips his t-shirt off over his head and unzips his jeans. I think I'm going to start hyperventilating but I manage to scramble to my feet and run through the punching bags to get away from him but he knocks me down again and kicks me hard in the stomach, knocking the breath out of me. Oh God, my baby.

"Don't, Peter," I beg when I can breathe again, protectively covering my abdomen with both of my hands, tears silently streaming down my face. "I'm pregnant." He stops momentarily, furrowing his eyebrows like he's not sure what the words I'm saying mean but then a murderous look crosses his face. Maybe that wasn't the best thing to tell him. I was hoping it would make him stop and think about what he's doing but it only seems to have made him angrier.

"You let that bastard put a _baby_ inside you?" he screams, then he punches me hard in the nose. "Slut!" I feel blood start to flow down my face and the back of my throat, choking me. My vision goes black around the edges while I'm coughing and sputtering. _NO_, I can't black out. If I do, there's no doubt I'll wake to him on top of me, inside of me, and I can't have that. I hold on to the light as he takes his erection out of his jeans and tries to put it in my mouth.

"NNNNNOOOOO!" I scream at the top of my lungs, turning my head to the side and kicking out at him. My leg connects with his foot, and I try to get away from him again. This time when he tries to kick me in the stomach, I see it coming, and I move at the last minute. His foot hits me very hard in the right hip, and a loud, agonizing scream bursts through my lips. He forgets my mouth and manages to get my yoga pants off while I'm trying to scramble away, and I can't hold the terror back. Tears are streaming down my face so hard that I can no longer see anything. I roll myself up into a ball when I feel his hands on the waistband of my lace underwear. "NNNNNOOOOO!" I scream hoping someone, _anyone_ will hear and help me. "HHHHHEEEEELLLLLPPPPP! _NO_, Peter. You can't _do_ this. Please stop. _PLEASE_. NNNNNOOOOO!"

"Will you just _SHUT UP_," he says, punching me in the nose again with his balled up fist. Once again the power behind his punch tries to make me black out but I hold on to consciousness with all my might. Then I see someone fast approaching us, and they literally pick Peter up and throw him a good 10 feet away from me. Whoever it is, they don't check on me they just start pounding and stomping and kicking and beating him. When I realize Peter somehow managed to get my underwear off, I can't control the sobs moving through my body. If whoever saved me hadn't heard me, he would be inside me right now. My stomach lurches, and I vomit all over the floor.

"Tris?" I hear. It's Zeke. "Oh, my God. Did he ..." His words trail off, and he doesn't finish his sentence. I can't speak. I can't do anything but sit here rocking back and forth sobbing, my head down and my arms tightly around my knees. He gathers me in his arms and holds me close to him. Someone comes into the room, and Zeke tells them to find Four and have him go to the infirmary. "Do you think you can stand up?" I look into his face and he flinches. It must not look very good.

"I don't know," I say, barely above a whisper, pain shooting through my face. "He kicked me in the stomach, Zeke. He also kicked me really hard in the leg. He was trying to kill my baby."

"Shit! Are you having any pain or cramping?" he asks.

"No," I softly say.

"Here, let me help you," he says. He helps me to my feet, and the pain makes it very hard to stand. He assists me with putting my underwear and pants back on then gently sweeps me up into his arms and carries me out of the training room.


	22. Chapter 22

**A/N: Because of the overwhelming response to yesterday's chapter, I thought I'd be nice and give you a bonus this week. I honestly didn't think it was a cliff hanger. It originally ended before Zeke came in but I knew that would really upset some people! Also someone asked me where I'm at. I'm in the Midwest in the US. I couldn't sleep last night and that's why the chapter was uploaded in the middle of the night like it was. Oh well, enough about me. Here's your bonus! Enjoy!**

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><p>Zeke doesn't stop to answer questions or for the instructions Erin, the intake nurse who is sitting behind the reception desk, is desperately trying to give. He just pushes his way through the heavy double doors that say "Staff Only Beyond This Point" and takes me directly into the nearest examination room and carefully lays me down on the thinly padded metal examination table and backs up until he runs into the bright white painted wall. Erin must have summoned the doctor because Dr. Young and several nurses come rushing into the room mere seconds after Zeke puts me down. I hear various words swirling around my head but I don't comprehend that questions are being asked of me. I finally hear Zeke say something but what he says doesn't sound right. He keeps saying the word rape. I start shaking my head but I still can't say a word.<p>

"Tris, can you tell me what happened?" Dr. Young asks with more compassion than I thought he was capable of. Just then the examination room door swings open and Zander and Tobias come rushing into the room. When Tobias sees me, he stops in his tracks and staggers back a few steps.

"I don't want him in here," I wail, trying to hide my face from him. "Get him out of here." I see pain transform Tobias into Four right before my eyes. It must feel like I'm rejecting him in this moment but the truth is I can't have him seeing me like this, having him know what Peter did.

"Come on, Four," Zeke says grabbing his best friend by the arm and literally dragging him out of the examination room. "She needs some time."

"I'll stay with her," I hear Zander say. "I need everyone to please leave the room, except for Emily." I hear a lot of shuffling then the door close. "Tris, can you please look at me?" I open my eyes, which I didn't realize I had closed, and turn my head towards the sound of his voice. "Are you sure you don't want Four to stay here with you?"

"Yes, I'm sure," I say matter-of-factly, the thought making me panic.

"Okay, calm down," he says, sensing my anxiety. "What about Christina or another one of your friends?"

"_No_," I say. "I would like to get this over with as soon as possible."

"Alright. I'm going to ask you some questions about your health history including your recent sexual history. I'm not asking you these things to make you uncomfortable. This information will help me not only treat your injuries but also help with the prosecution of your case if you decide to press charges." He opens my chart, which is getting quite lengthy, and jots some things down. "Okay, Tris, I already have the date of your last menstrual cycle from your visit on Sunday morning. I marked down that you are seven weeks pregnant. Can you tell me the last time you had sexual intercourse."

"Four and I made love this morning," I say with no emotion, staring straight ahead. He notes this in the paperwork he's filling out.

"What medications, prescribed and over-the-counter, are you taking?" he asks. I'm surprised this information isn't in the chart already.

"I'm only taking the prenatal vitamins you prescribed," I say, avoiding eye contact. "I took one acetaminophen tablet this week for a headache but you told me that was okay."

"That's what I thought, but I figured I would double check, and you are right about the acetaminophen. It is okay to take it while you are pregnant," he says. He takes a deep breath and looks into my eyes. I only see concern. "Now I need you to tell me exactly what happened tonight." I take a deep breath of my own and relay every detail of Peter's attack.

"Please, Zander, I need to know if my baby is okay," I plead, my hands resting on my abdomen. "He kicked me right in the stomach."

"We'll do an ultrasound to check on the baby as soon as your examination is done," he says. "You said he also kicked you in the hip. Which one?"

"The right one," I say.

"Were you able to put any weight on it when you stood?" he asks, still making notations in my chart.

"Yes, but it hurt ... a lot," I say. "Zeke had to help me."

"Can you tell me if anything else hurts?" he asks.

"My nose is absolutely killing me. My jaw hurts where he hit me, and my stomach also hurts where he kicked me," I softly say. Repeating my injuries takes me back to the room that used to be like a second home, takes me back to _him_. I wonder if I will ever be able to step foot through its doors ever again without feeling his hands on my body.

"Are you experiencing any cramping?" he asks, worry in his eyes. This is the first sign of apprehension I've seen in him, and it raises my anxiety level.

"There's a throbbing ache where he kicked me but no cramping," I say, my eyes mirroring his. I _can't_ lose my baby. If I do, I will _kill_ Peter with my bare hands.

"Okay," he says. "I'm going to leave you with Emily. She will be collecting some evidence. When she is finished, I will come back and do a thorough examination and the ultrasound. Depending on my findings I might also order an x-ray of your right hip. You hang in there. We're almost finished." After he leaves the room, Emily helps me out of my clothes and into a hospital gown. This is the first time in my life that I don't complain about having to wear the exposing garment. I just want the clothes that he touched off of my body. They can burn them as far as I'm concerned. She puts my t-shirt, yoga pants, bra, and underwear in individual plastic bags and seals them as evidence and puts them in a large box. She scrapes under my fingernails for any DNA that could convict Peter of my assault and puts the tool and scrapings in a special envelope, seals it, and also places it in the box. Next she takes extensive pictures of my injuries, which makes me feel like I'm being assaulted all over again. I have to keep reminding myself that we need this evidence so Peter can be tried for his crime.

Zander comes back into the room about five minutes after Emily is done doing her duty and talks me through every step of the thorough physical examination. I actually scream and cringe away from him when he puts his fingers on my nose. That's not a good sign. When he finishes, he pulls the ultrasound machine across the room and turns it on. He puts a paper drape sheet over my stomach and legs, exposes my lower abdomen, squeezes a good amount of cold, clear gel across my tummy, then runs the ultrasound wand through the gel over my belly searching for Peanut. When the familiar sound of my baby's fluttering heartbeat fills the room, I can feel myself physically start to calm down. As long as Peanut is okay, I can deal with anything. After a slight adjustment of the wand, I can see Peanut on the color screen as well as hear his or her heartbeat.

"I don't think your hip is broken but I want an x-ray just to be on the safe side. We'll finish up when the films are ready," he says. Emily helps me off the examination table and into a wheelchair and wheels me down the hallway to the x-ray suite. The familiar-looking technician positions me this way and that, taking several views of my hip after putting a lead apron on me to protect Peanut. I think he is the same 12-year-old looking guy who helped me the night I fell off the path. When he's done, he allows Emily to help me back to the exam room.

I'm lying on the uncomfortable examination table, staring at the ceiling when Zander comes into the room carrying several x-rays. He slides the films into the light box on the wall beside me one at a time and studies each one carefully. I see him run his finger along one of the images and lean in close to examine it.

"As I suspected, your hip is not broken but I am afraid your nose is," he says. "You have several contusions on your body and your eyes are black. How is your pain level?" I close my eyes and concentrate on the physical pain and try to block out the psychological pain. My face just plain hurts as does my hip.

"About a 5/10. Is pain medication safe, Dr. Parrish?" I ask. "I don't want to do anything to hurt the baby."

"I'll prescribe something that will take the edge off and won't harm the baby," he says. "Apply ice to your nose to keep the swelling at bay. That will help with the pain level also. It wouldn't hurt if you iced your hip also. You can go home any time you like."

"If you don't mind, I would like to stay here tonight just to be safe," I say. "It's a long trip back down here from The Pire if there is something wrong with the baby."

"I'll set up a room for you," he says. Then a serious yet caring look settles on his face. "Should I send Four in now?"

"Not tonight," I say. "I want to clean myself up before I see him. Please tell him he can come back in the morning."

"Are you sure, Tris?" he asks. "This is me speaking as your friend and not as your doctor. You are going to need him to help you through this. Don't shut him out."

"I'm not shutting him out, Zander," I softly say. "I'm trying to wrap my head around what Peter did and tried to do. I just need a little time to myself. That isn't too much to ask is it? Please tell him to go home and take care of Tyler."

"Alright, Tris," he says with a nearly inaudible sigh. I can tell he thinks I'm making the wrong decision. "I'll tell him." He takes the x-rays and leaves my room. Not five minutes later Emily comes in, administers some much-needed pain medication, and transfers me to a large, quiet, private room.

When she leaves me alone, I slide off my bed onto my feet and pain shoots from my hip down my leg. I hobble into the adjoining bathroom and turn the shower on. I slide the hospital gown off my shoulders and let it pool at my feet on the cracked tile floor. I step into the small shower, let the hot water wash down over my aching body, and pick up the sterile-smelling bar of soap with trembling fingers. As I'm scrubbing Peter's touch off every inch of my skin, emotions finally overwhelm me and tears stream down my face. My heart starts to race, and my breath gets caught in my throat almost choking me. I collapse to the shower floor in a heap and sob into my hands thinking about everything that happened and everything that could have happened. When the river of tears run dry, I force myself to my feet, shut the water off, and wrap myself in the paper-thin, well-used, stiff towel provided by the infirmary. Once I dry off, I put the hospital gown back on and curl up in the fetal position in the middle of the uncomfortable infirmary bed. I stare at the plain white wall trying to keep my mind off Peter when I suddenly hear a knock on the door. I straighten up in bed and see Tobias standing stoically just inside the door looking anywhere but in my eyes.

"You're not supposed to be here, Tobias," I say, my heart aching. He shouldn't have to see me like this. "Didn't Zander tell you what I wanted?"

"I'll go," he says, hanging his head. Right before he turns to leave, I see devastation on his beautiful face and it threatens to crush me.

"Wait, please don't go," I say. "I can't stand that I'm hurting you. I'm not meaning to. I just need some time alone." He slowly turns back toward me, and I see tears swimming in his usually strong eyes.

"I love you so much, Beatrice Prior. I can't stand that I wasn't there to help you when you needed me most. Then when I finally made it to your side, you sent me away. It almost ... killed me. I won't pretend to know what you're going through right now but I want you to know that I'm here for you ... you can't get rid of me," he says. We stare at each other. "I'm not going anywhere."

"He didn't ... rape ... me, Tobias, but he would have if Zeke hadn't intervened," I manage to say, finally understanding that he needs to know what happened to me today. He's probably thinking worst case scenario. I know I would be. I see relief flash on his face. "He came in to the training room just after you left. He said absolutely ... _horrible_ things to me." I can't keep my voice from breaking remembering what he said. "He put his hands on me when I didn't want him to. I said no ... I screamed it actually. He punched me. He kicked me. He tried to hurt Peanut. He wanted to _kill_ our baby." He approaches me cautiously and sits down on the side of the bed. I wrap my arms around him, and we cry together for what seems like hours. "Where's Peter?" I'm suddenly worried he will come back to finish what he started.

"We don't know," he softly says, caressing my hair. "He must have come to and taken off while Zeke was rushing you here."

"Zander says everything is okay with the baby but I'm going to stay here overnight just to be on the safe side. I want you to go home so Tyler can sleep in his own bed. He doesn't deserve yet another disruption. He's just a little boy."

"I would rather stay with you," he says.

"_Please_, Tobias. I need some time alone, to process. I need you to understand and do this for me," I say. "Go home and take care of Tyler then come back in the morning." He kisses the top of my head and slides his hand down my cheek, measuring each move carefully before taking it.

"I'll go but I'm putting Simon and Tony on your door. I'm not taking any chances," he says. "I'll be back first thing in the morning. I love you. Sleep tight."

"I love you, too," I say. "More than you know."

"I will kill him for this," he softly says before quickly leaving the room. _ Not if I find him first, _I think.

I roll over on my side and pull my knees up to my chest. I groan when pain shoots through my hip but I don't move. The pain is the only thing keeping me from feeling numb. I go over every minute of the assault thinking about what I could have done differently then I think back to initiation and try to figure out what it was that made Peter set his sights on me. I know what made him focus on Edward. He came in ahead of Peter during the first phase of training, and it cost him his eye and his place in Dauntless but all I did was jump into a new life dressed in gray. That one simple task shone a spotlight on me that is still affecting my life to this day and not in a positive way. I toss and turn for what seems like hours trying to get to sleep. I realize that if I want any sleep at all, I'm going to have to go home, which is where I should be anyway. I get out of bed and dress in the scrubs Emily left for me. I peek my head into the hallway and see purple hair and snake tattoo standing guard at my door.

"I want to go home, guys," I say. "Will you walk with me? I think Four would kill all of us if I walked home alone."

"Of course, Tris," snake tattoo says. "Should we call Four?"

"No," I say. "He's not expecting me home tonight so he might not have his phone on him. Plus it's not like I'm breaking out of the place. Dr. Parrish said it was up to me whether I stay or go." They accept my explanation and walk with me on the long trek from the infirmary all the way to my apartment. By the time I get to The Pire, I'm not only exhausted but my hip is absolutely killing me. My guards walk me right up to my door and wait until I unlock it and go inside. I thank them both before I lock the door behind me. The apartment is dark, exactly like I expected it to be. I slowly climb the stairs and walk toward the bathroom to get ready for bed. I'm in the middle of putting on a pair of sleep shorts and lacy camisole when Tobias comes into the bathroom.

"What are you doing?" he asks. "You nearly scared me to death."

"I couldn't sleep," I say holding my shirt over my naked chest.

"Neither could I," he says. He averts his eyes while I finish putting the camisole on. He takes me by the hand and leads me into our bedroom. We get into bed and lie there not touching one another. This isn't what I want. I'll still be tossing and turning if I'm not touching him.

"I want you to hold me, Tobias, just like it's any other night," I say. He doesn't say anything. He just pulls me close to him and kisses my forehead. "I'm going to need time. A lot changed today. I'm not the same person. I need you to understand and be patient with me. I'm not going anywhere either." I turn my back to him, and he wraps me in a loose embrace making sure I feel safe _and_ comfortable. We both let out a contented sigh at the contact we were both craving.

"I love you, Tris," he says in my ear.

"I love you, too, Tobias," I say. Just as I feel myself falling into sleep there's a loud banging downstairs, and I hear Tyler start crying. Tobias and I both groan at the exact same time.


	23. Chapter 23

Part of me wishes that the loud knocking at our door is just a bad dream but I know it isn't. Tobias goes downstairs to see who it is and what they want, and I go into Tyler's room to check on him. It's just as I suspected, the loud noise woke him up, which scared him and made him cry. I hold him and tell him that everything is okay, and he calms right down. Luckily, he falls back to sleep just as quickly as he woke up. I head back into the bedroom but Tobias hasn't come back upstairs yet, so I go down to see what's going on. I slowly descend the stairs making a mental note to call Zander first thing in the morning and ask for a prescription of pain pills. I have some left over from my fall in December but I'm not sure it they are safe for the baby. Maybe I should have asked for a prescription _before_ I left the infirmary. When I get to the bottom of the stairs and turn into the living room, my heart nearly stops.

"What are you doing here?" I ask, not quite believing my eyes. It's a little after 2:00 a.m. and here stands Marcus Eaton in the middle of my living room.

"I'm visiting my son," Marcus says. I see Tobias roll his eyes at his father's words. Who the hell _visits_ their children in the middle of the night? "What happened to you? Somebody finally smack you in that smart mouth of yours." He laughs at his quip. Tobias and I neither one find it funny. I narrow my eyes and glare at him, which hurts my nose but I don't let it show.

"Like I have said more than once, it's the middle of the night," Tobias says almost hatefully. "What ... do ... you ... want?"

"I saw something the morning Andrew was assaulted but no one has ever interviewed me to see if I saw something or not. I can't imagine why. I live right down the street from him," he says. "I thought _you_ of all people would want to hear what I saw, Beatrice." Is he playing a game with me right now? He's already insulted me once, and I've been in the same room with him for less than two minutes.

"And you picked 2 o'clock in the morning _at our home_ to tell us?" I say, disbelief clear on my face.

"I've been calling Tobias but he hasn't answered his phone or returned my calls," he says with a mocking tone.

"I don't blame him for that," I mutter. "I wouldn't want to talk to you either." Even though we are not close to one another, when he takes a step toward me, I shrink back. Confusion changes his face from arrogant to bewildered in an instant. I've never backed down from him and part of me hates myself for doing it now. Tobias must have seen me flinch because he slowly comes to my side but is careful not to touch me.

"What happened to her?" Marcus asks, narrowing his eyes and running them over my body. "She isn't her normally feisty self."

"I walked into a door," I say dryly. "Now, what is the information you have about my father? What did you see that morning?"

"You need to talk to Robert Black," he says. _Robert_? "I saw him talking to your father just minutes before I heard your mother's screams for help." I just saw him yesterday at the park, and he never said a word about seeing my dad.

"Did Robert mention that he saw Andrew when you talked to him?" Tobias asks me.

"No, he didn't, and why would someone from Amity be spending so much time in the city?" I say. "And why didn't Mr. Black say anything about Robert being in town that morning when we talked to him?" I almost say in Evelyn's room but stop myself.

"Maybe he doesn't know," Tobias says, giving Ethan Black the benefit of the doubt. "Thank you for the information, Marcus. I think you can go now."

"Are we ever going to be able to have a normal relationship?" he says with a sigh. Tobias stares at his father in awe and starts shaking his head slowly.

"You don't get it do you?" Tobias calmly says. "In trying to make me into what _you_ think a man should be through your twisted way of raising a child, you made me not only fear you but you also made me hate you. I've never admitted that to anyone before not even myself. I _hate_ you. I have emotional scars that run deeper than the physical scars you put on my back. Why would I want a relationship with you? I want you to think about this but I don't need an answer. If you were me, would you ever be able to forgive you and go on as if nothing ever happened? Now, I'm asking you kindly to please leave me and my family alone." He purposefully walks across our living room and opens the door. Marcus just shakes his head and walks to the door.

"This isn't over yet," he says. "I'm not giving up on us having a relationship." He turns and walks down the hallway and Tobias slams the door behind his father then locks it, and we sit down on the couch beside each other.

"Do you believe that he actually saw what he said he did?" I ask.

"Yeah, I do. What would he gain by lying about this?" he says. "I think he went to a lot of trouble to get you this information. His visit is my fault. He's been calling almost nonstop since the day your father was put in the hospital. I didn't know he would come knocking on our door in the middle of the night to get my attention. If I did, I would have answered the phone or simply called him back, anything to save you from having to see him and listen to his insults. I'm sorry I didn't stand up for you when he made that crack about someone hitting you." He moves his hand to touch me, startling me, and I shrink away from him.

"I'm sorry," I say the minute I do it. I pick up his hand and hold it to my face. I'm not scared of Tobias. When he's touching me, I feel nothing but love. But quick movements reminds me of _him_ and it frightens me. "I didn't ..." I sigh. "I don't even know what to apologize for."

"You have absolutely nothing to apologize for," he says, caressing my cheek with the hand that I am holding.

"Yes, I do, Tobias," I say. "I pushed you away when I needed you the most simply because I couldn't stand you seeing me that way ... seeing what he did to me." I hang my head not wanting him to look at me now. "Then when you want to comfort me, I cower in fear. I'm not scared of you, I swear. I love you." Tears are gently rolling down my cheeks. "I think he broke me." He slowly moves his other hand to my face, his eyes on mine, and wipes the wetness away. I lean into his shoulder, and he very carefully envelops me in his loving embrace. We stay there wrapped up in each other, not saying a word, for more than an hour.

"Shall we try to go back to bed?" he asks when he hears me yawn.

"Yeah," I say as I nod against his chest. He gently releases me from his embrace and pushes me back, being careful not to startle me again. He gets off the couch and holds his hand out to me, and I take it. He leads me up the stairs and into our bedroom.

"Shall we try this again?" he says in my ear after we get back into bed. "I love you, I truly do. I hope you sleep well." I roll in his arms and raise my lips to his and gently give him a goodnight kiss then return to my previous position.

"I love you, too, Tobias," I say. "Goodnight."

I spend a restless night tossing and turning in his arms. Bad dreams plague what should be a peaceful sleep. I dream about Peter, Drew, and Al kidnapping me during initiation and trying to throw me in the chasm. Peter has his way with me with no objections from the other two, and this time Tobias doesn't hear my screams. Peter kills me slowly, painfully, and I wake up just as my lifeless body hits the rocks jutting out of the rushing water below. I shudder at the remembered images, and it takes me a long time to get back to sleep. Then my dreams are full of incongruent pictures of the training room ... it's morning instead of late afternoon, I'm throwing knives at the targets against the wall instead of working out at the punching bags, Tobias tells me to stay instead of asking me to go. But what stays consistent is Peter's presence. He comes into the room and everything goes dark. I try to fight him off but I'm no match for his strength. He uses one of the throwing knives to cut my clothes off my body and I bolt upright in bed with a scream and start sobbing.

"Tris?" Tobias says sleepily. I jump a little at his voice then fall into his arms and let him hold me while I cry. "Nightmare?"

"Yes," I say, wiping my tears away with the back of my hand. "What time is it?" I feel him turn his head a little.

"5:30 a.m. Do you just want to get up?" he asks.

"Yeah," I say. "Will you check on Tyler? He's usually up by now. I'm going to use the bathroom."

"Sure," he says. We both get out of bed and he goes into Tyler's room while I go into the bathroom. I stare at myself in the mirror, examining the injuries on my face. My nose is discolored and swollen and both my eyes are black and puffy. My left jaw has a large black bruise and hurts like hell when I talk. I slowly take off my pajamas, put them in the hamper, and look at my body. I have fingertip bruising on both my breasts, a purplish-black bruise on my left lower abdomen where he kicked me the first time, and a coal black bruise in the general shape of a combat boot on my right hip. Tears come to my eyes and my stomach lurches but I manage to keep myself from becoming sick by taking long, deep, controlled breaths in and out. I take a quick shower then get dressed in a comfortable outfit. I notice the smell of bacon as I walk down the stairs.

"Are you ready for breakfast?" Tobias asks as I step into the living room.

"Yeah. I'm starving actually," I say realizing I haven't eaten anything since our picnic yesterday afternoon. Tyler turns at the sound of my voice with a huge smile that melts away when he sees me, and his eyes widen drastically.

"You okay, Twis?" he asks, taking in my bruised and battered appearance. I sit down next to him and ruffle his hair with my hand. I notice extensive defensive marks on the backs of my hands for the first time. I must have fought back even though I don't remember doing that.

"I had an accident, Tyler, but I don't feel too bad," I say, not quite telling him the truth. "I'll be okay."

"I sowwy, Twis," he says putting his arms tightly around my neck and giving me a big hug. I meet Tobias' loving eyes, and I smile at him.

"Have you called Simon or Tony and told them what Marcus claimed to see last Monday morning?" I ask as we are eating the bacon and eggs Tobias fixed.

"I texted each of them as well as Jonah and Matthew and told them to check out his story," he says. "You plan on working today?"

"Yeah, in my office," I say. "I want things to get back to normal. We don't know where Peter is but patrols are looking for him, right?" He nods his head at me. "Also there is a possibility that we'll never know who hurt my dad so I can't sit around and dwell on it."

"I'll take Tyler to daycare then," he says. "Say bye to Tris, kiddo," Tobias says. Tyler hugs me, gives me a kiss, and tells me he loves me, swelling my heart. Tobias kisses the top of my head and tells me he loves me too before they leave. After I finish cleaning the kitchen up, I decide to leave for work. I have too much work that needs to be done to wait around the apartment for an escort down a flight of stairs. I take my phone and grip it tightly in my hand. I open the door just enough to stick my head out and peek into the hallway but don't see anyone lurking. I make my way to my office, my heart threatening to beat its way out of my chest the entire way. I immediately lock my door when I step into my glass-walled office and begin to relax.

I gather the past two weeks' worth of incident reports and begin to pour over them. I was right. A 14-year-old girl reported being accosted by a group of older teenagers in front of the pizza parlor to a guard shortly before midnight the night of our Candor or Dauntless party. This has to be the girl that kissed Will after the slow dance dare. It is the right time and the approximate place. We're going to have to be more careful about who we do our dares with. The other reports seems rather routine. I don't see any statements from men who were victimized by a woman at the bar. I wonder how many men are out there in Dauntless either too afraid to come forward or don't know that they've been a target of a crime.

It's nice to get my mind on business and off of my personal problems, even if it is only for a short time. I'm so interested in the details of the incident reports that the knock on the door makes me jump. I look up and am taken aback. I get up from my desk, cross the room, wondering the entire way about why my visitor is here, and open the door to her.

"Isobel?" I say, my confusion showing in my voice as well as on my face. "Come in. What can I do for you?"

"Dr. Parrish asked me to bring this to you," she says handing me a prescription for 10 pain pills.

"Thank you. I really need this," I say, which is the absolute truth. I can't believe I forgot to call Zander.

"I'm working in the infirmary today, and I'm on my lunch break," she says. "Can we sit down?"

"Of course. I'm sorry," I say, moving aside to let her pass me. We cross the room to the leather couch against the wall and sit down.

"To be honest, I didn't just come here for Dr. Parrish," she says. "I came to offer my services, Tris. I council victims of sexual assault. I wanted to let you know that if and when you are ready to talk about what happened yesterday, I'm here for you."

"You must know that nothing happened," I quietly say. "He didn't rape me."

"Even an attempted sexual assault leaves its mark and takes its toll," she says. "Counseling can be beneficial."

"I really don't want to talk about it, Isobel," I shyly say. "I already told Dr. Parrish and Four what happened. Isn't that enough?"

"It might be," she says. "I'm not going to lie to you though. There's a greater chance of developing post-traumatic stress disorder if you don't seek counseling."

"I don't even want to _think_ about what he did let alone talk about it. I hope you understand," she says.

"I do, and it isn't my intention to push you into anything you don't want to do," she says. "Just know that if you ever need me for anything, I'm here." She puts her hand on my shoulder for a time then gets up. "Here's a card with all my contact information. If you ever want to talk, no matter what time it is, call me day or night. I'll be there for you."

"Thank you, Isobel," I sincerely say, taking the business card she's extending. "I appreciate your kindness."

"Take care of yourself, Tris," she says. "I'll see you at your next prenatal appointment." She leaves me to my troubled thoughts. Is she right? Would talking about it help? I just don't think I'm ready for that yet, if I'll ever be.

I look at the clock and see that it's almost lunch time. I go to Tobias' office but he isn't there. I decide to have lunch in the apartment today mainly because my hip isn't feeling well enough to walk all the way down to the cafeteria, and I send Tobias a text telling him to meet me. Plus, until Peter is caught, I don't have any intentions of walking long distances by myself. I don't want to chance it. Hell, it freaked me out to come down here from my apartment this morning and it can't be more than a few hundred feet away. I'm at home warming the leftover spaghetti and meatballs when Tobias comes in.

"Hi," I say. "You are just in time for lunch. I hope leftovers sound good. Sit down and I'll get it for you." I slide a plate of spaghetti and meatballs and a bowl of Caesar salad his way then sit down beside him with my food.

"Thanks, this is great," he says. "What have you been doing all morning? I started to check on you a couple of times but you looked busy."

"I've been over the past two weeks' worth of incident reports. It felt good to get back to my normal routine," I say. "Then Isobel brought me a prescription for pain pills from Zander." I leave out her offer for counseling but I'm not sure why.

"I have some news on your dad's case," Tobias says with a smile, raising my curiosity. "Simon, Tony, Jonah, and Matthew talked to Ethan Black, and he says he hasn't seen Robert since Choosing Day. He was asked to submit his DNA since he had casual contact with your father that morning, and he gave his consent. The analysis was expedited, and it was determined that a close male relative of his in fact attacked your father. Also, the second DNA profile they found turns out to be your mother's, which doesn't surprise me. Not only would he have her DNA on him on a normal basis, but she helped him get to the hospital that morning. The four of them are traveling to Amity to arrest Robert as we speak since Tyler's too young to be considered a suspect." I can't help myself and I chuckle at his last sentence, and he smiles at me.

"Why would Robert want to hurt my dad?" I ask with a sigh.

"That is one question I don't have an answer for, Tris," he says. "We'll have to wait for his interrogation."

"I'm tired of people hurting each other," I say staring out the window. "I'm just plain tired."

"Why don't you take the afternoon and try to get some rest," he says. "You didn't get much sleep last night."

"No, I didn't. I think I'll take you up on your offer," I say with a smile. "Can you do something for me?"

"Anything," he says.

"Will you pick this up for me?" I say, handing him the prescription.

"Sure," he says. "Why don't you go upstairs and lie down. I'll clean the kitchen up. When you wake up, I'll have your prescription on the counter for you."

"Will you do one other thing for me, please? Lie down with me," I say. "Just until I fall asleep."

"Of course, Tris," he says, putting the plates he just picked up back down. We climb the stairs and go straight to our bedroom. I lie down on my left side with my head resting comfortably on his chest. He caresses my hair until I fall asleep.


	24. Chapter 24

I am once again standing on the small platform in the rear of the boutique with Christina endlessly circling me, making sure that my wedding dress fits like a second skin. She has me standing perfectly still in front of the huge three-way mirror with my arms straight out at my side, which is absolutely exhausting. Her seemingly endless energy is starting to annoy me so instead of focusing on my best friend, I focus on Tobias, which brings a goofy grin to my face. I can't believe that in 10 short days I will become Mrs. Tobias Eaton. How in the world did I get lucky enough to actually marry my soul mate, my best friend, the best man I have ever known? And what baffles me the most is that he wants to marry me also.

The past five weeks have been extremely difficult for both of us. Peter is still at large, which gives me mixed emotions. On one hand, it is absolutely wonderful not to have to see him or deal with him on a daily basis but on the other hand, I'm constantly looking over my shoulder, terrified he's lurking around every corner ready to try and finish what he started in the training room. I'm extremely angry with him for what he did and what he tried to do to me but I'm angrier with myself for how I've reacted. I'm jumpy, slightly paranoid, and scared most of the time. I'm just not myself and people are starting to take notice.

I decided one night a couple weeks ago that it was time to talk to Isobel. Tobias and I went to bed, and I tried to push my fearful, anxious feelings aside because I honestly wanted to be with him but something happened when he touched me and it made me flashback to that Sunday in the training room, and I pushed him away. The look that flashed on his face for a fraction of a second crushed me, and I couldn't stop myself from sobbing for almost an hour. He held me the entire time I cried, telling me everything was going be okay but in that moment my world felt like it was falling apart, that nothing would be okay ever again. When I finally calmed down, we talked almost the entire night, lying in each other's arms. I asked him if he wanted to postpone the wedding until things returned to normal – or a semblance of normal – but he assured me that marrying me is all he wanted. I know it's all I want. I finally told him about Isobel's offer to counsel me, and we decided together that it would be in my best interest if I talked to her. He offered to come with me but I thought that my feelings were something I needed to work through on my own. I called her the next morning. I know she told me that I could call her day or night but I couldn't bring myself to wake her up in the middle of the night. I've had six sessions with her already. If I'm being totally honest with myself, I'm not sure it's helping but I'm not ready to give up just yet.

I've thrown myself into my work, which is also adding tension between Tobias and me. The only time I feel totally relaxed and anything at all like myself is when I've locked myself away in my office. I don't know if that's good or bad but I like the feeling of normalcy work gives me so I've been spending more hours at work than I used to. I oversaw the after-hour's installation of a surveillance camera behind the bar with purple hair and snake tattoo trying to identify the woman who has been drugging men and stealing their hard earned money. Unfortunately, she has not targeted any other victim since the night Will was drugged and taken for a month's wages; however, five additional men have come forward reporting missing time after being in the bar and discrepancies in their point balance. I still believe there are more victims who are too embarrassed to come forward but there isn't anything we can do about that.

"When are your dad and that Robert guy being interrogated at Candor?" Christina asks. She's now sitting on the floor making sure that the length of the gown is just right.

"Later today actually," I say. Dad has been ready for his truth serum interrogation for weeks now. His doctor released him from his care 10 days after his beating and sees no reason why truth serum can't be administered. For some reason though Candor wanted to wait until Robert was brought in to have both interviews, which proved harder than anyone thought it would be. Somehow Robert caught wind that Jonah, Matthew, purple hair, and snake tattoo were on their way to Amity to arrest him for Dad's assault and he disappeared. It turns out he was hiding out with the factionless for four-and-a-half weeks. He was caught when he was at the park visiting his girlfriend, Martha. I told purple hair and snake tattoo to stake out the playground at the family park in the center of the city because Robert had told me that Martha and her family visited every time they came into the city, and sure enough last Thursday, they came into the city, and Robert chanced coming out of hiding to meet with her. "I can't wait until I hear why Robert did what he did. I've known him almost my entire life, and I just can't fathom why he did what he did. It doesn't make any sense to me. A person I called a friend for most of my life almost killed my dad. I guess I don't have the best judgment when it comes to friends."

"Hey! Did you forget who you are talking to ... your best friend?" she says. I roll my eyes at my overly dramatic friend.

"I wasn't talking about you, Christina," I say. "When can I put my arms down? My muscles are burning." She stands back up and is circling me again and grunts.

"Do you want your dress to fit you or not?" she says with an exaggerated sigh.

"Of course I do but I also want my arms to still function after today," I say.

"Fine, put them down," she says. I lower my arms and feel relief immediately. She's tugging on the bodice of the dress and grins at me.

"I was right to leave extra room up here! Your boobs are huge!" she says.

"Look who's talking," I mumble. She snickers at me.

"Why are you so grouchy today?" She asks. "Arms back up." That wasn't much of a reprieve.

"I'm grouchy because you're torturing me," I say, putting my arms back up. She stares at me for a moment then rolls her eyes. "Sorry. I honestly just want all this over with. I don't want you to take this the wrong way because I truly appreciate everything that you've done and everything you still have left to do getting this wedding together for me and Four but I wish it was over. I just want to be his wife. That's all I've wanted since he asked me to marry him. I'm starting to wish we had just eloped."

"Is everything okay with you?" she hesitantly asks.

"I'll let you know two weeks from now," I jokingly say, avoiding the true meaning behind the question. She hasn't asked about the details of that day, and I haven't volunteered them either.

"Tris, talk to me," she says very seriously. "You're not happy. I know you, and you aren't yourself. _Please_ talk to me." Pain shoots through my heart. She's right, I'm not myself and it pains me that yet another person is seeing that.

"I don't know what to say, Christina," I say.

"Put your arms down," she says and I gladly do it. "Tell me what Peter did." She steps in front of me and looks deeply into my eyes. "Talk to me, Tris. Maybe it will help you." Talking to Isobel only seems to have helped slightly. Maybe talking to my best friend, someone who knows me just as well as she knows herself will be more beneficial. What do I have to lose?

"Help me out of this dress. I don't want to talk about that _bastard_ while I'm in my wedding dress," I say, stepping down off the platform.

"Of course you don't," she says. She helps me out of the long gown, and I put on my regular clothes, which are showing off curves I've really had before thanks to the pregnancy. The dress still needs minor alterations so she hangs it up in her office. We walk to the salon so she can trim my hair then try out different styles for the wedding and I can tell her my story. She unlocks the door, turns the lights on, and then locks the door behind us. She gets us settled at her old workstation and takes all the necessary tools out of the drawers that she plans to use.

"You can start at any time," she says as she trims my hair.

"First of all, I hope it doesn't seem like I've shut you out these past few weeks. I haven't meant to. You're my best friend. I just don't like thinking about this, Christina, let alone talking about it but I know that every time I tell my story it helps me heal so here goes," I say. I take a deep cleansing breath and give her the details of that Sunday afternoon in the training room, not quite meeting her eyes in the mirror. I notice that she slowly stops cutting my hair while I talk. When I finish, I wipe a stray tear from my cheek and look into Christina's face in the mirror.

"I'm sorry that happened to you," she says. "You just told me what happened but you didn't tell me how it made you feel and what you are still feeling. It may be hard, Tris, but you need to get those emotions out. It isn't good to keep things like that bottled up. If you do, one day you could explode." I've never really thought about it but she's right. When I tell someone what happened I just give the black and white details with zero emotion. I don't mention the strong desire to cut his hands off when he touched me. I don't discuss the fact that his pungent breath turned my stomach and lingers in my mind and that the smell of alcohol now triggers a near panic attack.

"When Peter came into the room, I didn't think twice about it," I say. "Soon an odd feeling overcame me and when I turned my head, he was standing right beside me. He startled me momentarily but there wasn't any real fear. After I slapped him for insulting Four is when I first felt the dread. There was something in his face that petrified me. I thought he was going to kill me at first, his grip on my throat was so tight. I grasped at his hand trying to fee myself." I motion with my hand what I did, suddenly reliving each moment from that day. "That's when he started touching me all over my body. I thought about cutting his hands off, anything to get him to stop touching me. I imagine if he hadn't had such a tight grip on me, I would have thrown up all over him. When he kissed me, I honestly felt nothing but disgust. I was hopeful for a moment when I was pleading with him. I reminded him that he promised he wouldn't hurt me anymore but his demeanor darkened in an instant." I stop and take another deep breath. This is one of the hardest parts to remember. "He had one hand on my chest and the other between my legs groping me and said he was going to ... fuck me." I close my eyes but tears battle my eyelids and escape. I continue without opening them. "After he told me he want my pussyassandmouth," all the disgusting words run together, "I was extremely scared but it was his reaction to me being pregnant that truly horrified me. Christina, he wanted to kill my baby, and in that moment, I wanted to kill him. When he was taking my pants off my mind was blank. Thankfully, Zeke came in and pulled him off me. That's when I realized he had gotten my underwear off too. I threw up all over the floor knowing just how close he had come to ... getting what he wanted." I hear Christina exhale loudly. I didn't realize how much I've been editing the story. "I'm scared most of the time but I'm even more pissed off ... at him for doing what he did, he changed me. But I'm mainly angry at myself. I shouldn't give him so much power over me."

"Wow," is all she says.

"Two weeks ago I started counseling with Isobel hoping that talking with her will get my life back to whatever normal will be from now on," I say. "I have mixed feelings as to whether it's working or not."

"You have to give it some time," she says. "What made you seek help?" I sigh. Do I want to talk about this? She won't break my confidence, and she truly just wants to help.

"I hurt Four," I say. She looks at me skeptically like there isn't anything I can do that would hurt him, and I furrow my eyebrows at her. Talking about sex on a good day is incredibly difficult for me so this is excruciating.

"You're not having sex are you?" she asks finally catching my meaning.

"No," I finally say, shaking my head. "We've tried but I always stop us because I get scared. It's taking its toll on us and our relationship. I even asked if he wanted to postpone the wedding but he said no. You have no idea how I wish I would have just went with Four to pick up Tyler that day then I never would have seen Peter. It's all my fault."

"No, it's _not_ your fault, Tris. It sounds like you are punishing yourself," she says, turning me in the chair to face her. "It is _Peter's_ fault. He became obsessed with you and took advantage of finding you alone in the training room and didn't want to take no for an answer. _You_ didn't do anything wrong ... _he_ did. It's time that you forgive yourself. It might not be easy but you should try."

"I didn't even try to defend myself, Christina," I say. "What does that say about me? I just let him touch me and beat the shit out of me. Why didn't I try to stop him?" Tears stream down my face.

"Tris, honey, you _did_ fight back," she says, startling me. How could she know that? She wasn't there, and Four looked at the surveillance footage but Peter must have turned off the camera in the training room because there is no video during the time of the attack. "Don't you remember how battered your hands were?"

"I slapped him when he insulted Four," I say. "I remember that."

"Your hands had more damage than hitting him once," she says. "You looked like you were in hand-to-hand combat." I remember looking at my hands the next morning and seeing what I assumed were defensive wounds. They did look like I'd been in a fight.

"Why don't I remember fighting back? Why do I feel like I rolled over and let him do what he wanted?" I say.

"Tris, you are one of the strongest people I know. Of course you would fight him. It's not in your nature to roll over and give up," she says. "Forgive yourself and maybe you can remember fighting back and then you can start to move on."

"I'll try, Christina," I say, lunging at her and hugging her fiercely. "Thanks for listening, and thanks for making me talk about it, _all_ of it."

"Thanks for trusting me enough to open up," she says pulling away from me and looking directly into my eyes. "I really appreciate it."

"Isn't it time you cut my hair!" I say with a smile, leaning back in the chair. "We have an awful lot of different styles to check out before I have to meet Four." She finishes trimming my hair, which desperately needs it then she styles and restyles my hair using several different combs, barrettes, and bobby pins until I decide on the perfect style that complements my face, my dress, and the style of the wedding impeccably. "You don't know how much I appreciate everything you are doing for this wedding. I know I complain and grouch around, and you deserve neither of that, but without you, I honestly don't know what my wedding would be like. It probably would take place on the floor of the Pit in our pajamas."

"I have to ask. Why do you keep saying that, and why is it always with that smirky little grin," she asks.

"I thought I told you this," I say. "Tobias told me he didn't care what I wore or where we got married. He said we could get married in the Pit wearing our PJs."

"You two are so cute," she says. "The members of Dauntless wouldn't recognize Four if they saw you guys at home."

"I know," I say. "I've always been able to see his true self beneath the mask he wears for everyone else. I'm not sure how or why but I'm extremely thankful." I need to tell him that sometime.

"Well, I think we're done with wedding stuff for today," she says while cleaning up the workstation. "Your final dress fitting is next Monday first thing in the morning. I think we can do it at my apartment. It will need some altering in the tummy area unless you gain some more weight between now and then." My tummy is no longer flat as a pancake, there is a little paunch where Peanut is growing. We go out into the Pit and she locks the salon behind us. "Then on Tuesday night after the wedding rehearsal in the Crystal Gardens building you're staying with Will and me because you can't see Four until you walk down the aisle later the next day. You're mine on Wednesday. We'll spend the morning at the spa getting ready for your big day, have a private lunch, then head to the Navy Pier to get dressed and style your hair. The wedding is at sundown either under the stars or at the Crystal Gardens if it's raining. Supper and an intimate reception will follow in a tent that will be set up in front of the Ferris wheel. Four is whisking you away on your honeymoon at 2:00 a.m. Do you have any questions?"

"Yeah! First, how in the world do you keep all that straight and in your head?" I ask laughing. I for one would have to have all that information written down, which I'm sure she does someplace. She shrugs. "And second, where is Four taking me?"

"Oh, no! My lips are sealed," she says with a grin. "You won't get anything out of me."

"Fine," I say with a pout. "Has everyone RSVP'd, or do I need to make some calls this week?"

"Everyone is coming you invited and your brother RSVP'd with a plus one," she says with a spark of curiosity on her face. "Who is he bringing?" I haven't seen or talked to my brother since my dad was in the hospital so I honestly can't answer that question but I have a guess. He was getting ready for a first date with Cara, Will's older sister so I imagine she's his guest but a lot can happen in five weeks.

"I honestly don't know," I say.

"You're keeping something from me," she says.

"Maybe I am," I say. I contemplate telling her. "I really don't know if she's the one or not but a few weeks back he had a date with Cara."

"Will's sister? Seriously!" she says. "I thought I saw a spark between the two of them back in December when I met them both at Candor. How long have they been dating?"

"It was their first date so it might not be her," I say. "I'm sure you understand why I didn't want to say anything."

"Yeah, I do. You don't want to get Will's hopes up that he will see his sister and then have it be some other girl Caleb brings," she says as we climb the final flight of stairs that lead to both our apartments. It doesn't seem like it takes all that long to get from the boutique and salon area to here when Christina is reminding me of the wedding itinerary.

"Thank you for this morning," I say. "All the wedding stuff and for the talk. You helped. Thanks again." I give her another big hug before I get all emotional on her. I was hoping since my second trimester starts soon that my hormones would settle down. I should have known better. Just because I'm 12 weeks along doesn't mean my body is just going to magically stop with the runaway emotions and the morning sickness that hits at any time of the day.

"You're very welcome, Tris," she says, returning my hug. "If you want to talk some more, you know where to find me." We release each other and head into our own apartments. I walk in, and there is flour all over the island and the floor. I see a trail of tiny footprints followed by larger ones from the kitchen, through the living room, and up the stairs and I can't help but laugh. What in the world have those two been doing while I was away?


	25. Chapter 25

**A/N: Thank you for the over 39,000 views! Also, I've had a couple people ask if my story will have different POVs, and I wanted to let you all know that it will not. It will always be from Tris' view. Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoy this chapter! **

**-Moonshine**

* * *

><p>I climb the stairs, following the path of flour-laden footprints straight to the bathroom, which doesn't surprise me one bit. The door is wide open, and I stand in the doorway, leaning up against the jamb, trying not to make a sound. Tobias is on his knees giving Tyler a bath and looks like he's in desperate need of a shower himself. His normally dark curly hair actually looks like it grayed prematurely overnight but I know better. It's obviously from the flour explosion that happened downstairs.<p>

I watch as the love of my life helps his little brother in the tub and my heart swells with love until I think it's going to burst. Tobias has already proven to me what an absolutely wonderful father he is going to be based on how he interacts with Tyler. He treats him with such love, kindness, and patience that it boggles my mind that he worries at all about Marcus' negative influence.

"You ready to get out, buddy," Tobias says after rinsing conditioner out of Tyler's hair with the handheld shower. "Tris should be home at any minute, and I really want to get that mess in the kitchen cleaned up. We don't want her to come home to a mess, do we?" Tyler just keeps splashing away and giggling like he doesn't have a care in the world, letting me know that he isn't anywhere near close to wanting to get out of the tub at all. He's having too much fun.

"What in the world have my boys been doing this morning that caused such a disaster downstairs," I say, finally letting them know I'm here. Tobias looks at me over his shoulder with a shocked and slightly apologetic look on his face.

"Twis home, Fo. Twis home," Tyler repeats time and again while splashing his hands in the water excitedly. I walk into the bathroom and kneel down beside Tobias.

"He obviously isn't finished with his bath and isn't ready to get out," I say with a genuine smile, brushing some of the flour out of Tobias' hair. "Why don't I stay here with him and you can go downstairs and clean up that horrible mess in the kitchen and living room, and don't forget all the footprints. They led me straight to you." I can't help but laugh. "You can tell me all about what happened later!" I lightly run my hand down the side of his face and surprise lights his eyes. I can count on one hand the number of times I touched him these past few weeks.

"Did you have a good morning with Christina?" he asks with a smile. "Did you get all the wedding arrangements finalized?" I can tell he would like to ask me a something else but instead he decides to take advantage of my rare good mood. He draws my mouth to his and kisses me quickly but tenderly. A splash hits us in the face, and we both turn and look at Tyler and his angel face.

"Did you just splash us?" I ask, tickling him. For some reason he isn't too fond of watching us kiss. He just laughs in response. "Christina and I had a really nice time. A couple days before the wedding I'll have the final dress fitting. She says everything else is totally under control. Everyone has RSVP'd so I don't have to make any phone calls. Oh, she told me Caleb is apparently bringing a date."

"Cara?" he asks, getting up off the floor with a groan. He even sounds like an old man at the moment.

"I honestly don't know. I haven't seen Caleb or talked to him since we left the hospital over five weeks ago," I say. "I assume it's her but I told Christina not to say anything, and I don't think we should either. I don't want to get Will's hopes up that he'll get to see his sister and have Caleb show up with a total stranger."

"That's smart," he says. "I'm going downstairs now to clean up. Tyler, you listen to Tris. When she says it's time to get out, don't argue with her."

"Okay, Fo," he says with a warm smile, love radiating out of his eyes. Tyler and I play for a while with the boats we recently bought him that are specifically designed to be used in the bath. We race them all around the tub, Tyler's tug boat beating my houseboat each time. He thinks it's great and keeps laughing. When I can no longer feel my feet below me because I've been sitting on them to long, I think it's time to get him out and dried off. He's very good and doesn't fight me one bit. I dress him in comfortable clothes that won't be too warm since he's going to the park with Zander and his family this afternoon while Tobias and I attend Robert and Dad's interrogations at Candor.

Unfortunately, they are both open to the public, and I imagine there will be quite a turn out, especially since Dad is the leader of the council. I think people are intrigued as to why he's being questioned at all since there has been no news of wrong doing ... yet. Erudite has kept their promise and not released any of the anonymous reports about Dad but some of Caleb's colleagues are faunching at the bit to let the entire city know all of Andrew Prior's _sins_. But I'm more interested in hearing why Robert attacked my dad. What made him do it, and is he working alone or with someone? It's such an odd situation. My stomach growls letting me know that it's lunchtime. I've only had a stale blueberry muffin and a cup of lukewarm coffee in the boutique with Christina this morning. No wonder my stomach is letting me know it wants fed.

"Shall we go downstairs and get Four then head to the cafeteria for something to eat?" I ask. Tyler energetically nods at me then takes off like a wild man down the stairs.

"Tyler!" Tobias and I say at the same time. I decide to let him continue. "You know you aren't supposed to run up and down the stairs. Tris and I love you very much, and we don't want you to get hurt because you slip and fall down the stairs. The next time you run in the house I'm going to take a toy away. Do you understand?" Tyler lowers his eyes and sticks his bottom lip out pouting but he nods his head at his brother.

"Sowwy, Fo," he says. "Sowwy, Twis."

"I know you're sorry, Tyler," I say, ruffling his hair. "Just remember to walk the next time you get excited, okay?"

"Okay," he says.

"Hey, are you two ready for some lunch," Tobias asks. He must have cleaned himself up while Tyler and I were in his room getting him dressed. "I'm starved, and I imagine Tyler is too. We didn't get breakfast, did we, buddy?" Tyler shakes his head as he takes my hand. "We had an issue with the mixer." Tyler giggles manically at that.

"Snow," he says between snorts. I furrow my eyebrows at Tobias. He has a sheepish look on his face.

"The mixer flung flour everywhere," he says. "I was trying to make some muffins but the mixer got stuck and kept throwing the ingredients everywhere, especially the flour. At one point it actually looked like a blizzard was slowly moving through the apartment. Tyler looked like a ghost. He was covered from head to toe. I couldn't help but laugh." I can't fault him for that, I probably would have too. "I imagine we need a new mixer. It wouldn't stop. I finally had to unplug it." Small kitchen appliance malfunction? I guess it makes sense.

Tyler walks between Tobias and me holding each of our hands, jumping everything that he can on our way to the cafeteria for lunch with our friends. I swear he's midair most of our trip. When we reach the cafeteria, we let Tyler go and he sprints directly to our table and sits where Tobias and I normally do and starts talking to our friends. We just look at each other, smile, and laugh. He reaches his hand out and I take it and let him lead me to our table.

"Hi guys," I say as Tobias and I sit down next to Tyler. Our friends greet us happily with a chorus of hellos.

"Bite?" Tyler asks Christina, leaning up against her arm, looking at her with puppy dog eyes. She gives him half her dinner roll. Poor baby is hunger. I fix him a plate first like I normally do but give him slightly more food. He digs into the barbecue chicken, and we have to tell him to slow down. We spend so much time doing our own thing on Sunday's that I forgot how good the comfort food the chef fixes is. I choose barbeque chicken, scalloped potatoes with ham, mixed vegetables, and baked apples while Tobias picks fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, mixed vegetables, and apple salad with grapes and walnuts. I eat so much that I'm absolutely stuffed. Tyler leans up against my side after his sliver of cake and actually falls asleep.

"Are you two excited for next week?" Shauna asks.

"I'm nervous about the wedding," I say. "I'm not entirely comfortable being the center of attention and all eyes usually focus on the bride. I hope my morning sickness doesn't pick that moment to make itself known or I'll probably throw up in front of all our guest."

"Don't worry about anyone looking at you, Tris," Zeke says with a grin. I furrow my brows at him. "I'm going to be dressed in a tux so everyone's going to be admiring how handsome I am." He pretends to straighten a tie as Tobias stands and knocks him in the shoulder.

"You're an idiot," Tobias says. "I think I've made a horrible mistake. Who else can stand up with me?"

"Oh, no you don't," Christina says with real panic in her eyes. "You two can hate each other from now until the end of time but there will be _no_ substitutions. You got it?" Everyone looks at her like planning this wedding is too much for her and she's lost her poor mind.

"Christina," Will says slowly, laying his arm across her shoulders, pulling her to his side. "He was just giving Zeke a hard time. Nothing's going to ruin the wedding." You would think Will was talking to a nervous bride right now instead of the wedding planner! Maybe she isn't the anomaly here, maybe it's me.

"I'm excited," Tobias says, looking at me out of the corner of his eyes. "I can't wait until I can officially call Tris my wife." He's so romantic sometimes. I lean my head against his shoulder being careful not to wake Tyler up.

"Speaking of _official_, what's your name going to be?" Lynn asks with real interest.

"Tris," I say slowly, keeping my face straight knowing full well that's not what she meant. She rolls her eyes dramatically at me.

"Come on," Uriah says. "What's your last name going to be? You can tell us. What are people in Dauntless going to call you and you kids?"

"Her last name, as well as the name of our kids, will be my last name, of course," Tobias says. "But their _public_ name will be Prior ... as will mine." Tobias and I had a conversation recently about what my name would be. I told him I wanted to be Tris Eaton but since that would give away one of his secrets, we compromised on hyphenating our names ... Prior-Eaton. There's a lot of groans around the table.

"I thought we'd finally get a clue as to your true identity, Four," Ciara says. I give her props for her honesty.

"Maybe one day," he says.

"The interrogation is at 3:00 p.m., right?" I ask Tobias. "Should we take him home so he can nap until Zander picks him up for his playdate?"

"That sounds like a great idea," he says. "We're going to get this little guy home for a nap."

"It was nice to have you all here for lunch," Zeke says. "We'd like to see you more often on Sundays."

"I forgot how good the food is on Sundays," I say. "We'll have to eat with you guys more often."

"Everything was wonderful and the company was pleasant, as usual," Tobias says, carefully lifting Tyler so he can sleep on his shoulder. We say our goodbyes and head home. When we reach the apartment, Tobias takes him to his room to nap then comes to sit on the couch next to me.

"I talked to Christina today ... about that night," I say, slowly raising my head to look him in the eyes.

"You hadn't talked to her about it before?" he asks with shock on his face. "I guess I just assumed she was the one person you would talk to about it."

"I didn't talk to anyone about it until I started talking to Isobel," I softly say. "I finally told Christina what happened and she made me realize I didn't give an emotional account so she made me talk about how what he did made me feel. It helped. I would like to tell _you_ my story also. We're getting married next week. I may not consider this a secret but I don't want _him_ to come between us." He nods his head at me then I repeat what I told Christina.

"I'm sorry, Tris," he says, hanging his head when I finish. "I thought I knew what happened but he got further than I let myself imagine."

"Maybe I shouldn't have told you," I say. I hate hurting him, and here I am hurting him once again.

"I'm glad that you felt comfortable enough with me to share how he made you feel and how you're feeling now," he says staring deeply into my eyes, penetrating my soul. He slowly wipes a stray tear off my cheek. "I promise you this, Beatrice Grace, _when_ I find him, he's dead. You'll never have to fear him ever again."

"I won't lie. I would give anything to hear the news that Peter Hayes is dead but promise me you won't have anything to do with it," I plead. "If you kill him, they'll take you away from me, and I wouldn't survive that." He frowns at me.

"I will never do anything to jeopardize us ... our family," he says. "I promise."

"She also made me see that I need to forgive myself so that I can move on," I say.

"What do _you_ need to forgive yourself for?" he asks.

"I should have went with you when you asked me," I say. "I need to forgive myself. People keep telling me it's not my fault but if I hadn't been there alone in that room, it wouldn't have happened."

"You don't know that," he quietly says. "I don't want to scare you, that isn't my intention but you said he was drunk and angry. What makes you think he wouldn't have cornered you somewhere else at a different time, alone or not? Would you think it was your fault because you were taking Tyler to daycare or meeting the girls at the boutique or we were going on a date?" I put my head on his shoulder.

"I know you're right but how do I stop beating myself up for not coming with you?" I say. "How do I stop pulling away from you when all I truly want is to get closer? How do I stop tensing up when all I want to do is relax."

"Tris, I'm sorry," he says. "Why haven't you told me any of this before?"

"I don't want to hurt you, Tobias," I say, moving so I can see in his eyes once again. "It kills me when I see pain in your eyes after I push you away. I'm having trouble understanding why you're still here with me. I wasn't kidding when I asked if you wanted to postpone the wedding. I'm going to ask you again if you want out. I'll understand." He sighs.

"Why would you ask me that?" he asks, trying his best not to get angry but not quite managing it. "Have I done something to make you think that the only reason I'm with you is _sex_?" The look in his eyes makes me feel ashamed. "You may not believe this but if we never make love _ever_ again, I'm okay with that. I am completely head over heels in love with you ... _you_. I'm not me without you. Why would I give you up? _Please_ stop asking me to do that." We are quiet for a long time.

"I'm not ready to have sex yet, Tobias," I whisper, suddenly flashing back to a conversation early in our relationship when being intimate with him was one of my greatest fears. The thought of going through my fear landscape to figure out my true feelings tickles the corners of my mind but I don't think I would survive if I find out I'm _Seven_ again. "I want you to do something for me. I want you to kiss me. Don't be afraid that you will scare me. I want you to kiss me like you mean it." His mouth crashes into mine in a need-filled kiss. He may say he's fine without making love but this kiss says something entirely different to me. The kiss slows then he moves away from me. I smile at him. It's the first time in weeks that I feel comfortable with physical contact. I run my hands down his face and pull his mouth back to mine. I lean my body into his and kiss him leisurely. I run my tongue along his bottom lip, and he automatically opens his mouth to me. After kissing for a time, I tentatively thrust my tongue in his mouth, searching his out, and we let them dance. I feel his hands on my waist but they never wander, they just tighten and release in sync with the rhythm of our mating tongues. When we can no longer breathe, we break apart but I don't leave his arms. I can't stop smiling. No one kisses like Tobias. A thought crosses my mind and my eyes narrow.

"I want you to touch me," I say, barely above a whisper. He furrows his eyebrows at me.

"Are you sure, Tris?" he asks, worry thick in his voice.

"I'm sure. Please touch me." One of his hands leaves my waist, and I see it trembling out of the corner of my eye. I take it and gently place it on my breast. My heart immediately starts to pound, and my instinct is to push him away but I fight it. He slowly moves his mouth to my neck and starts to kiss the sensitive spot beneath my left ear and I relax slightly. His hand gently kneads my aching breast with a loving tenderness for a time. I was right, no one _touches_ me like Tobias. I can actually feel his love for me in each caress. I put my hand on his, lace our fingers together, and move them to his knee. That's enough experimenting for one day. He stops kissing my neck and kisses my cheek sweetly.

"Are you okay? I didn't scare you did I?" he asks.

"I learned something or maybe the correct statement is I _realized_ something. No one kisses me like you do, Tobias, and no one has ever touched me the way you do," I say with tears in my eyes. "Yes, I was anxious but I could feel how much you love me with just your tender touch. I know that may sound crazy but it's how I feel. I just need some time but I'm coming to understand that you're okay with that."

"Of course I'm okay with that. _I love you_," he says with an intense look on his face. "More than anything."

"I love you, too," I say. I hear soft footsteps on the stairs and see Tyler peeking around the corner. I nudge Tobias in his side, and he sees where my eyes are looking. Soon we both hear giggling. I'm sure Tyler thinks he's being quiet but he's not. Tobias soundlessly slides off the couch and walks over to the stairs and snatches up the giggling toddler with a chuckle. I'm laughing as loudly as they both are. Tobias brings Tyler to the couch and he climbs onto my lap.

"Hi, baby," he says leaning over to kiss my tummy. He saw Tobias do the same thing a week ago and questioned him about it. So we made the decision to tell Tyler that I'm having a baby, and he seemed to understand. Now he randomly kisses my growing belly.

"Did you have a nice nap?" I ask and he smiles brightly at me.

"Yep," he says. A knock on the door tells me it's almost time for Dad's interrogation and I become anxious.

"Zander is here to pick you up, Tyler," Tobias says on his way to answer the door. Tyler starts bouncing up and down in my lap, and I put him on the floor.

"Tyler!" Zane says running into our living room. The best friends hug each other tightly.

"Zane, don't make me sorry I brought you with me," Zander says.

"Sorry, Daddy," he says over his little shoulder.

"Tyler, are you ready to go?" Zander asks. "We're going to the park then get ice cream in the city before coming home. I'll call when we get back."

"If we aren't home yet from Candor yet, can you keep him until we return?" Tobias asks.

"Of course," he says. "Let's go, boys." Tobias and I grab our phones then we all walk to the garage together.


	26. Chapter 26

Tobias and I say goodbye to our friends and then each of us give Tyler a great big hug and kiss on the cheek, telling him to have a great time but to mind Zander and Stella. We wave goodbye as the Parrish car pulls out of its spot and heads out of the garage. It's a little early to head to Candor but we decide to go ahead and leave anyway. We slowly drive to the Merciless Mart in near silence. My anxiety level is off the charts, and I imagine Tobias can sense that. I'm worried about my dad's interrogation, although I'm not exactly sure why. I'm confident he has nothing to hide yet I can't shake the feeling I'm going to learn something terrible today.

"Are you okay, Tris," Tobias asks as we pull up in front of Candor's headquarters. I meet his eyes, and the anxiety I've been feeling the entire drive dissipates. I smile at him.

"I'm worried about Dad," I say. "I know he hasn't done anything wrong but I can't shake this bad feeling."

"I wonder if truth serum can force the truth out of your dad," he says. I furrow my brows at him. I wonder what he is suggesting. "That didn't come out quite right. What I mean is, I wonder if he can say what happened to him that Monday morning under truth serum, if it can _lift_ the truth out of his head since he can't remember any details."

"I never thought about it that way," I say. "I'm not sure that's how it works but if it does, doctor's will have a new application for truth serum, that's for sure." I sigh. "Maybe the feeling I'm having is about Robert and not Dad. I can't wait to find out why he did what he did." Tobias takes my hand in his and lightly rubs small soothing circles on the palm with his calloused thumb.

"I'm interested in hearing Robert's story, also," he says. "His involvement just doesn't make sense to me. I wonder if he was working alone."

"That thought has crossed my mind also," I say. A hand knocks on my car window and makes me jump. Tobias and I look toward the sound and see Mom and Dad standing on the sidewalk right outside the car. I get out and go to my parents but Tobias stays in the car to answer a text message he just received.

"You know you didn't have to come today, Beatrice," Dad says.

"Four and I want to be here to support you but we also want an explanation as to why Robert did what he did," I say. Tobias exits the car and joins us.

"Andrew, Natalie. It's nice to see you again," he says. "I'm sorry. I had a text I needed to answer. Tris, Tyler fell and scraped his knee at the park. Zander would like you to call him. Tyler wants to talk to you." I pull my phone out of my pocket and immediately dial Zander's number. He puts Tyler on the phone, and I'm able to calm him right down.

"I love you. You be good and be careful," I say then hang the phone up. "I think he's okay now."

"Does he always ask for you, Beatrice?" Mom asks.

"Yes, he does," I say. "I think he's attached himself to me since he hasn't seen his mom since early January."

"January!" Mom and Dad say at the same time.

"Why haven't you taken him to visit his mother?" Dad asks disapprovingly.

"The hospital won't allow it," Tobias says. "They won't let him in the hospital because he's too young, and her doctors think she's too unstable to move her outside so it's been nearly three full months since they've seen each other. I'm angry with the hospital. They should be working with us instead of against us. It's very frustrating." We've discussed this on more than one occasion, and it's a subject we agree on 100%. Tyler needs to see Evelyn. We just don't know how to make that happen.

"It's awful that the hospital wouldn't let a _child_ see his mother in _three_ months," my mom says with disgust in her voice.

"Maybe we should go inside now," Tobias says, trying to get the conversation off the painful subject. "The interrogations will start in less than 30 minutes." We head through the oversized glass door into the black and white lobby and find Caleb sitting in one of the many intimate groupings right next to Cara. He gets up when he sees us enter the room and comes straight too us, followed closely by his girlfriend. I imagine she is his plus one next week. He hugs Mom and me then shakes hands with Dad and Tobias.

"Hi, Cara," I say, trying to be polite. "How are you?"

"Hey, Tris. I'm good," she says, making awkward conversation. "Are you excited about the wedding?"

"More nervous than excited actually," I say. "I'm not one for a lot of attention so I'll be happy when the wedding is over. I'm really just looking forward to the day that we're married and I can call Four my husband. That's all I've wanted since he proposed." She smiles at me, and it actually seems genuine.

"We have that in common," she says with a nervous laugh. "I've already made up my mind. If I ever get married, I'm eloping."

"I contemplated that but Christina wouldn't hear of it," I say with a chuckle. "She has done everything. I only had to make the major decisions. She's made all the little ones and planned every detail of the wedding. It really took the pressure off Four and me."

"She's great," Cara says.

"Yes, she is," I say with a bright smile. "She's an amazing friend. I don't know what I would do without her."

"We better get upstairs," Dad says. "By the way, I called the hospital. Tyler can see his mother tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. in the obstetrics waiting room for 30 minutes. He can see her at this time each week until she's discharged." Tobias and I stand staring open-mouthed at him.

"How?" I say in complete awe. We tried everything to get an arrangement like that. He makes one phone call and Tyler gets to see Evelyn tomorrow.

"I called the administrator at home and told him Tyler's story," he says. "I told him I was appalled that the hospital would disregard the feeling of a child ... _any_ child. He immediately made arrangements for them to see each other. I hope I got her name right, Evelyn _Johnson_." We nod at him. "You all will receive an apology tomorrow as well."

"Thank you, Dad," I say, hugging him tightly.

"Thanks," Tobias says, his voice full of emotion. "You don't know how much this means to Tyler _and_ to Tris and me as well."

"You're welcome, Four. Tyler is a great kid. No child should be hurt in that way. I'm glad I could help," Dad says, hanging his head, rather embarrassed.

"Prior family, your presence is requested upstairs in the interrogation room. Robert Black's examination will begin momentarily," says a short, balding, older gentleman. He leads us to the familiar banks of elevators and puts a key in the center one. I just realized this is the only elevator used to go up to the top floor.

"Tris, I would like to talk to you before you leave about a proposal I've been thinking about," Caleb quietly says when we are all stuffed in the small elevator. "It's about factionless children and the Choosing Ceremony." This piques my interest immediately.

"What about them," I say, wanting to hear his idea.

"I believe we should pass a law that will allow factionless children to attend the Choosing Ceremony the year of their 16th birthday just like any other person in the city," he says. This statement gets the attention of everyone in the elevator.

"I for one _love_ that idea, Caleb," I say. "How did you come up with it?"

"Remember when we were talking about factionless children?" he says. My mind wanders back to one of the days Dad was in the hospital. We were talking about Tyler and Evelyn, and we both agreed we thought it should be illegal to raise a child when you're factionless.

"I remember," I say.

"That is when I got the idea," he says. "Every child should have the opportunity to live in a faction if they want to."

"I think it is a wonderful idea," Dad says. "I am surprised no one has ever thought of anything like it before. I wonder if there are many factionless children." I look up into Tobias' eyes. I have a feeling he might know a little about this subject because of going into the factionless sector to visit with his mother on multiple occasions. Maybe he has seen something that would give us a clue as to whether a law like this would be beneficial. When the elevator door opens, we all file out one at a time. I slowly walk hand-in-hand with Tobias to the set of ornate double doors that lead into the cavernous interrogation room. Once we find our seats, which have been set up just like the last time we were here for Cameron Wright's interrogation, we sit down. I take in the sizable crowd and notice that it has a large number of Abnegation members. This is unusual. They must be curious as to why their leader is being interrogated under truth serum.

"Well, well," a familiar voice says and I turn to see Jack Kang approaching us. "I thought I told you I never wanted to see your face around here every again, Tris." If it weren't for the warm smile on his face, people would think he was being completely serious with me at the moment.

"I told you that I _hoped_ to never see you again, but I didn't _promise_ you that I would never come poking around Candor again," I say. It amazes me how easy it is to joke around with the leader of Candor under these circumstances.

"I honestly thought that you wouldn't be in such a good mood," he says, narrowing his eyes at me.

"I'm confident that my father has done absolutely nothing wrong," I say. "It's really Robert's interrogation that I'm nervous about. I want to hear why he did what he did."

"You may be surprised by what you learn here today, Tris," he says, turning his head and raising his arm, giving the just a minute sign to Niles who just called out to him. "The interrogation will begin momentarily. It's nice to see you again." He turns and walks away from me, leaving me to wonder what in the world he meant by that.

"What does he mean, I'm going to be surprised," I say looking at Tobias.

"I have no idea," he says taking my hand. When Jack and Niles move to the center of the room, everyone quiets down.

"For those of you who do not know me, my name is Jack Kang. I am one of Candor's leaders," he says in a loud, confident voice. "This is my associate Niles Murphy. He will be administering the truth serum and conducting the interrogations today. I will turn the floor over to him now." Just then a loud bang echoes through the chamber as Robert is brought into the room flanked by armed Candor guards. Although, I'm surprised to see he's not handcuffed like all the previous prisoners were. He calmly sits down in one of the two chairs in the center of the room. Unless he is more arrogant than I've ever known, he's acting like an innocent person. I wonder if this is what Jack was hinting at, that Robert is a sociopath.

"The first interrogation will be of Robert Black, a member of Amity. He is accused of assaulting Andrew Prior, the leader of the council and a member of Abnegation. These are very serious charges. If he is found guilty, he could be sentenced to death," Niles says matter-of-factly. At the word death, there is a loud audible gasp that echoes throughout the entire room, and I'm one of those who Niles is asking to quiet down. I honestly can't believe what I'm hearing. It seems like the city is cracking down on crime if assaulting someone could be punishable by _death_. I momentarily wonder what they would do to a would-be rapist.

"Robert, I am going to be administering the truth serum into a vein on the side of your neck," he says. "You will feel the effects of the serum immediately. Don't fight what you are feeling or you will experience pain. If you answer the questions immediately, there will never be any pain. Do you understand?"

"I do," Robert says, loud and clear for the audience. A side door opens and I see Ethan Black come into the room followed closely by Ellie, his wife. They sit in the closest empty seats they can find. I'm surprised I hadn't noticed their absence until they came into the room. Niles opens the black box that is sitting on the table and hands Robert an alcohol swab. He rips into it, wipes off the side of his neck, then throws it away in the trashcan Jack is holding in front of him. Niles takes a syringe out of the box and sticks it into the left side of Roberts's neck. He immediately slumps in his chair. I can't see his eyes clearly because I don't have a straight on view, but I imagine they are glazed over just like anyone else I've seen under the effects of truth serum.

"Please state your full name," Niles says.

"Robert Ethan Black," he says, confusion on his face.

"How old are you, Robert?" Niles asks.

"I celebrated my 18 birthday last September," he says.

"What are your parent's names?" he asks.

"Ethan and Ellie Black," Robert says with a sad sigh. That's right, he hasn't seen his parents since the day of the Choosing Ceremony.

"What faction were you born into and what faction did you choose?" Niles asks. It's like he's going down a mental checklist. He asks everyone the same first four or five questions then they start becoming more personalized to the case and the specific person in the chair.

"I was born in Abnegation, and I chose Amity," he says.

"Can you tell us what you were doing in Abnegation on the morning of February 15, this year," Niles asks, finally getting to what _I_ want to hear.

"I went to warn Andrew Prior of a plot against him," he says. I wasn't expecting that.

"What kind of plot?" Niles asks.

"I honestly don't know," he answers immediately.

"How do you know there is a plot then?" he asks.

"Whenever my girlfriend, Martha, and her family have to come into the city for business, I come with them if I'm available," he says fidgeting in his seat a little bit. "We go to the park in the center of town and take advantage of the playground. I was using the public restroom when two men I don't know came in talking about Mr. Prior. They didn't know I was there because I was in the stall furthest away from the door."

"What were they saying," Niles asks.

"They were very angry that Erudite hadn't released the reports they sent them about Mr. Prior and the council. Something about hidden accounts and favoritism. They said their plan wouldn't work if Erudite didn't play ball," Robert says, stunning me.

"Tell us what happened the morning you met with Andrew Prior," Niles says. I'm sitting on the edge of my seat wondering how this will unfold. Why would he go from wanting to help my dad one minute to trying to take him away from everyone who loves him the next? Something isn't adding up here. Is his DNA just an innocent transfer like Mom's was?

"Martha and I stayed the night at the rooming house on the edge of the city park where a lot of Amity members stay when they are staying in the city overnight. I figured this was my chance to talk to Mr. Prior. I didn't want anything to happen to him. I still don't. So I woke early and went to see him. I knew from growing up just down the street from the Priors that he takes an early morning walk nearly every day. I was lucky to find him near my parent's home. I asked if I could join him after apologizing for startling him. We walked and I told him what I heard." I look at Dad. He has a confused look on his face but he also looks a bit sheepish, like he was just caught with his hand in the cookie jar. I didn't know he took early morning walks. "He asked me several questions about these men. I got the idea that he thought he knew who they were but I could be mistaken about that. I really don't know Mr. Prior well. When we returned to his house, he thanked me for the information. I saw Marcus Eaton watching us so I turned down Mr. Prior's offer of breakfast, said my goodbyes, and left. Within a half-an-hour I was back at the rooming house having breakfast with Martha. Later that day I found out about his assault. Beside Mr. Eaton, I didn't see anyone so I made the decision not to report our impromptu meeting to the authorities. I now know that it was wrong but at the time I thought since I didn't have any helpful information for anyone that it wasn't a big deal. I do wish I would have told Beatrice what I knew when we ran into each other later in the week then maybe she wouldn't think I was capable of harming her father."

"Did you assault Andrew Prior?" Niles asks pointblank.

"No," Robert firmly says and I'm forced to believe him ... unless he's like me. What if he's capable of lying under truth serum?

"Ethan Black's DNA is a familial match to the DNA on Mr. Prior's wounds. Robert Black's DNA is a familial match also. He is not your attacker," he says, turning his back to Robert and speaking directly to my family, especially my dad. After letting that news sink in, he turns back to Robert. "Do you have an uncle or a brother living somewhere in the city?" He's quiet for a time. His visible suffering brings back the memory of going through the exact same thing and I cringe.

"I have a brother," he says. My heart nearly stops. Tobias puts his arm lightly around my shoulders, pulls me to him, and kisses the top of my head, apparently reading my mind once again. What will happen if everyone learns about Tyler? "He is about a year older than me. He was adopted. His name is Jeffry Walsh." Holy shit! I know Jeffry. He was in a lot of my classes at middle and upper levels. He was quiet and respectful but all Abnegation are that way, at least in public. I'm learning that they don't always practice what they preach behind closed doors. "My father, Ethan Black, is his father. He has narrowed his mother down to one of two women, Evelyn Eaton or Natalie Prior."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N: Over 44,000 views already! You guys are awesome!**

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><p>My mom's head starts slowly moving from side to side as her mouth drops open in shock. If we weren't in the middle of Candor's interrogation room and there wasn't an interview in progress, I would burst out laughing at Robert's absurd accusation. There's absolutely no way on earth that <em>my<em> mother has another child. Now Evelyn Johnson Eaton having yet _another_ secret wouldn't surprise me in the least. I look up into Tobias' eyes and see that he has paled dramatically. Other than that, he's not showing any emotion. I reach out to his left hand and take it in mine. He pulls me closer to him still with his arm that's wrapped around my shoulders.

"Can they have another child?" I whisper. He shrugs his shoulders at me. His mask falls away for a split second, and I see devastation and betrayal in his eyes.

"I believe we have learned everything we can from you today, Robert," Niles says. "Before we finish, I have one final question to ask you. It is a question we ask every person sitting where you are. What is your biggest regret?"

"I regret running when I found out the authorities were coming to question me," he says. "I was scared, and I acted like a coward. If I had to all to do over again, I would be a man and face the problem head on, especially since I didn't do anything wrong."

"Thank you for your honesty," says every single Candor member in the room simultaneously. I see Mr. Black get up and head toward the door but two Candor guards block his escape.

"Not so fast, Mr. Black," Jack says. "_You_ are our next interview." He hangs his head as the guards direct him toward the chairs in the center of the room. Robert is picked up under the arms and dragged out of the double doors by two armed guards. Mr. Black is pushed down into the chair just vacated by his son. He has a panicked look on his face. I stare across the vast room while Niles readies Mr. Black for his interview. Ellie Black is sitting head held high among people of all factions. She doesn't really look upset. She looks maybe ... vindicated. I can't help but wonder if she already knows about his indiscretions. Niles finishes injecting the truth serum in the left side of his neck and throws the syringe away. Mr. Black slumps in the chair.

"Please state your full name," he says.

"Ethan Aaron Black," he says, typical confusion on his face.

"What are your parent's names?" Niles asks.

"James and Zelda Black," he states.

"What faction were you born into and what faction did you choose?" he asks.

"I was born in Erudite and I chose Abnegation," he says with pride in his voice.

"Are you married?" Niles asks.

"Yes," he responds.

"What is her name?" he asks.

"Ellie Jean Black."

"How many children do you have?" Niles asks. I see Mr. Black pause then cringe. I can tell he doesn't want to answer this question but I remember the fire that pushes you to answer whether you want to or not. This turn of events have to be horrifying for his wife but she still looks as if nothing is bothering her.

"Five," he finally spits out between clenched teeth. Several Abnegation members gasp. This information proves too much for Ellie, and she gets up from where she has been patiently sitting this entire time and walks out of the room. My heart rate increases wondering what's going to be said about Tyler. I can't stand the idea of him being hurt any more than he already had been.

"How many are adult males?" Niles asks.

"Two," he says, hanging his head. "Robert who lives in Amity and my oldest son. I don't know his name or where he lives."

"How old are any other sons you have?" he asks.

"My other son is 2-years-old," he says. I squeeze Tobias' hand.

"Back to your oldest child," Niles asks. I breathe a sigh of relief. "Who is his mother, and would she know his information?"

"His mother is Evelyn Eaton," he says quietly. Tobias tenses beside me. His rigid posture tells me he's pissed more than likely at his mother for not telling him this information.

"You need to speak up, Mr. Black," Jack says. He glares at the leader of Candor.

"She won't know anything about him either. That is part of a closed adoption. You don't get to know anything about where your child ends up. I didn't even know he lived in Abnegation until Robert said so today if in fact Jeffrey is our birth son."

"Do you have any other living male relatives?" Niles asks.

"No, I don't," he says.

"I have one last question for you, Mr. Black," he says with obvious contempt in his voice. Candor values honesty above all else and Ethan Black likes to keep secrets. "What is your deepest regret?" He's quiet for a long time, longer than I thought possible under truth serum without screaming in agony.

"I regret falling in love with two woman at the same time," he says then hangs his head again. I think that is the most honest thing that man has ever said in his entire life.

"We are going to take a 15 minute recess then Andrew Prior's interrogation will begin," Jack Kang says. He walks directly to Four and me.

"Four, may I see you in private?" he asks.

"Only if Tris can come with me," Tobias says.

"You might not want to talk about this in front of her," Jack says.

"Tris and I have no secrets," Tobias says.

"Then by all means, she's welcome to join us," he says. We get up from where we've been sitting.

"We'll be right back," I say to Mom, Dad, and Caleb. He leads us through a door, down a hall, and into his office. It feels wonderful to stretch my legs.

"I know who you are, Tobias Eaton," Jack says after we all sit down. I try to keep the shock from altering my features but I don't manage it so if he was fishing for information, I just gave him everything that he needed to confirm his suspicion. "I thought some of your behavior was peculiar for a Dauntless member when we first met. You reminded me of several Abnegation members I'm known over the years so I did some digging. Almost three years ago, Marcus Eaton's son defected to Dauntless even though he got a strong Abnegation result on his aptitude test. I put two and two together and realized who you are." What is it with leaders of factions knowing test results for random initiates? I don't like this one bit, and I can tell by his demeanor that Tobias doesn't like it either. "I'm not saying any of this to upset you or to out you. I would like to talk to you about your mother." We all are quiet for a time.

"What about her?" Tobias finally replies.

"I know this is probably a difficult subject for you since she died years ago but I was wondering if you know of any close friends she would have confided in, someone who can confirm her pregnancy."

"Have you talked to Marcus?" he asks.

"We tried to talk to him," Jack says with a sigh. "He slammed the door in our faces."

"That sounds like him," Tobias says. He takes a deep breath then adds, "Evelyn's not dead." Jack's jaw practically hits the floor.

"What do you mean?" he says, trying to regain his composure.

"Marcus faked her death after she left him. He couldn't stand her rejection so he lied," Tobias says. I can hear the pain in his voice but it's only because I know him so well. I reach out and put my hand on his back, rubbing lightly up and down letting him know I'm here for him. "You can talk to her but I'm afraid you can't put her under truth serum."

"Why not?" Jack asks. Tobias seems at a loss for words at the moment.

"She's pregnant. She's due in a little over four weeks. Truth serum wouldn't be advised," I say. "I doubt she would know much anyway. I'm sure you know about adoption laws. If they had a child they gave up to strangers, they aren't allowed to know any details of where the child goes. Isn't that right?"

"I'm afraid I don't know much about many of our laws. I immediately went into leadership training after my initiation," he says.

"You could try to talk to Evelyn," Tobias says. "But please don't upset her. She's on strict bed rest because of preeclampsia. If you want an official interview, will you please check with her doctor first and have him okay it. That's our daughter she's carrying."

"She's giving another child up for adoption? How many is that?" he says.

"I didn't know about the first adoption," Tobias says not answering the invasive question. "I was only a baby according to the ages Robert gave tonight. I would have been too young to remember her being pregnant. I'm totally baffled by this." Jack looks at the clock on the wall.

"We need to get your father's interrogation underway," he says addressing me.

"Okay," I say. "By the way, Evelyn's last name is Johnson now, and we would appreciate your discretion."

"You've got it, Tris," he says shaking my hand. Then he shakes Tobias' hand. "Four, I hope I didn't offend you. I'm just trying to get at the truth." He leaves his office, and we slowly follow behind hand-in-hand.

"You okay?" I ask, suddenly worried about him. I'm sure he's not happy learning in front of a room full of strangers that his mother has been lying to him ... _again_.

"I honestly don't know. What if Jeffrey's my brother? I _know_ him, Tris. It's not like my sister. I've talked to him. I went to school with him. I volunteered with him," he says. "I need to talk to Robert and ask him where he got his information." I stop him before we go back in the interrogation room. I go up on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around his neck and hug him tightly. His arms wrap around me and return my hug.

"I love you," I say moving my mouth to his for a quick kiss.

"I love you, too," he says after I release him. "Thanks for the hug. I really needed that." He holds the door open for me like the gentleman he is, and we go back to our seats, ready for Dad's interrogation. Mom gives me a concerned look but I just smile at her. If there is time later, I'll tell her about our conversation with Jack. I notice Dad standing in the center of the room talking amiably with Jack and Niles. When they see that Tobias and I have come back into the room, Niles motions for Dad to sit down on the familiar metal chair in the center of the room.

"I will have quiet now," Jack yells. "Niles is going to start Andrew Prior's interrogation." Niles goes through his ritual of prepping a suspect. I cringe when that thought goes through my mind. It's hard to think of my dad that way.

"Please give us your full name," Niles says when Dad visibly slumps in the chair, ready to answer any question given him.

"Andrew Johnathon Prior," he clearly says for all to hear, not a hint of confusion on his face.

"What are your parents' names?" he asks.

"Caleb and Beatrice Prior," he says. I hear Caleb gasp. I forgot he wasn't there when Dad told me about some of his past at Erudite.

"Are you married?" Niles asks.

"Yes," he says, "to Natalie Wright Prior."

"What faction were you born into and which faction did you choose?" he asks.

"I was born into Erudite and when the time came, I chose Abnegation," Dad says.

"What are your children's names?" Niles asks as if the entire city doesn't already know the names of the children who defected to Erudite and Dauntless from Abnegation.

"Caleb and Beatrice Prior," he says proudly with a smile. "_Yes_, they were named after my parents." He's the oddest person I've even seen under truth serum. He's offering up information without having a question first, and he doesn't seem confused.

"Can you tell me what happened the morning of February 15?" Niles asks. Dad pauses but acts like he's not in any pain.

"No, I can't," Dad says, slowly shaking his head. "I can't remember that day. I heard what Robert Black said happened and it's like it happened to someone else. I don't remember doing any of it, and I don't have a clue as to who attacked me."

"Okay, let's change direction," Niles says. "How long have you been on the council?"

"It will be 18 years this September," he says.

"How long have you been the leader of the council?" he asks.

"Since December of last year," he says.

"Are you aware of the reports coming into Erudite about wrong doing on your part?" Niles asks.

"The _anonymous_ reports?" Dad says. "Yes, I am. They are _all_ false."

"Do you have any idea who is sending these reports to Erudite about you?" Niles asks.

"My first guess was Marcus Eaton since I took his position as head of Abnegation but I have no proof of that," Dad says. "I have no other guess of who it could be."

"Do you know Jeffrey Walsh?" Niles asks.

"I know who he is but I don't personally know him," Dad says. "To my knowledge I've never spoken to him before."

"Okay," he says. "Now we are going to go over the allegations." He picks up a manila file folder sitting on the chair opposite Dad and shuffles through some paperwork. "Have you ever transferred assets from an Abnegation account into a personal account?"

"No."

"Have you ever physically, emotionally, or sexually abused your wife or children?" I cringe at that allegation. I've never heard it before.

"No," he says a lot calmer than most people would in such a situation.

"Do you know if and where there are any warehouses with pilfered goods stored?"

"No."

"Have you ever shown favoritism to any person on the council?"

"No."

"Have you ever asked for sexual favors in exchange for your assistance?"

"No."

"Have you ever asked for monetary gain in exchange for your assistance?"

"No."

"Have you been having an affair with another council member's wife?"

"No."

"Have you ever had an affair?" Dad hesitates for the first time since Niles started firing questions at him one after another. I see him cringe but I'm not sure if it's from pain or guilt. I hear the air go out of my mom's lungs like she was just punched in the chest.

"Yes," Dad says, hanging his head. My eyes widen, and I can't hold back a gasp. I immediately look toward my mom. She's sitting there, head held high much like Ellie Black's was when Mr. Black was being questioned. Something tells me she already knew the answer to that question before Dad said anything. "Once, right before I got married I made a huge mistake. My wife knows all about my indiscretion. I promised her then I would never hurt her like that again, and I've kept my promise for more than 20 years. I've never had another affair." It seems like Niles is enjoying this turn of events, watching my dad squirm. He actually has a snarky smirk on his face. I bet Niles is remembering Dru's interrogation last winter when Dad put him in his place about what questions were appropriate to ask a rape survivor and thinks his humiliation is his revenge.

"Who was the affair with?" he asks. My dad's mouth falls open, and he flinches from the pain coursing through his veins.

"Ellie Black," he says.

"You said you haven't had an affair with a council member's wife," Niles says. "How did you lie?"

"I didn't," Dad says. "You asked if I am _having_ an affair. I'm _not_. I had a one night stand over 20 years ago because I was stupid and having cold feet. I was talking with a friend who had just found out her husband was having an affair, and we let things go too far. We both immediately regretted it. I went to Natalie and told her what I'd done. I told her I'd never do anything like that again and I haven't. One positive thing came from that night. I realized how much I loved Natalie and that I wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of my life with her. My worst grief turned into my greatest joy. She forgave me, and we got married as scheduled. I'm sorry the whole world found out such a personal matter. I'm especially sorry Natalie is having to endure this ... again." Not one person is saying a word. You could hear a pin drop in the enormous room. I see Jack say something into Niles' ear and he nods. He puts the folder he's been holding back in the chair and steps back.

"I'm sorry you and your family had to go through this, Mr. Prior," Jack says apologetically. "It is obvious you are innocent of all the charges coming into Erudite. We have one final question for you then we will administer the antiserum. Tell me, what is your greatest regret?"

"Up until a few moments ago, I would have said my one night stand but now my biggest regret is having my two beautiful children sit not 20 feet away from me and listen to how I betrayed their mother. That is something I never wanted to happen. I am _so_ sorry, Beatrice and Caleb." My mom, who is sitting between Caleb and me, takes our hands in hers and squeezes tightly. I look at her and notice her light green eyes are glistening with tears. This has been so hard on her. I'm having a hard time believing my dad could do something like this. It changes my whole perspective on their relationship. How can she trust him?

"Thank you for you honesty," says all the Candor members. I notice people filing out of the interrogation room looking over toward us. Some have disappointment on their faces. They probably wanted my dad to have committed some scandalous crimes they could go home and gossip about. Others are looking at us with pity on their faces. I want to stand and shout at them to mind their own business but I'm frozen in place. Niles injects the antiserum into my father's neck, and he immediately comes out from under the effects of the truth serum. His eyes clear but shame quickly fills them. He stays seated for a minute before he gets up and slowly walks toward us.

"I'll leave you alone so you can talk," Tobias says, standing up.

"No, sit back down, Four," Dad says. "You are a part of this family too, and I owe each of you an apology." He takes a deep breath and looks like he's going to fall over. Tobias gets a chair and pulls it around so Dad can sit in front of us. "I'm sorry, Natalie. I know this has to bring up painful memories for you. If there was any way I could have spared you from having to hear about that night again, I would have. I didn't think they would ask that question. I wish he hadn't."

"You know I forgave you years ago, Andrew," Mom says, dropping Caleb and my hands and taking Dad's in hers. "You made a mistake. It proves that you are only human. I love you. I won't say these past few minutes haven't been some of the most difficult I've had to face but you don't have to apologize."

"How can you forgive him?" Caleb asks. "How could you have married him so soon after he cheated? Didn't you think you deserved better? I don't understand."

"I thought we had the perfect life," I say. "When I've thought about what I want my marriage to be, I've always looked to the both of you. But it's been a lie. I don't know how I feel about this."

"Caleb, I forgave your father because I loved him. I forgive him every day because I love him," Mom says. "Marriage is hard work. I won't lie. There were times the pain was crippling but through forgiveness I got you and your sister. I got many years with a loving partner. I also got to live the life I planned, the life I _wanted_.

"Beatrice, there is no such thing as perfect, and you already know that. You've just forgotten about the stress and arguments and bad times that go hand-in-hand with the joy and harmony and good times. And don't try to ... _imitate_ our marriage. Make your own way, make your own mistakes – there will be plenty, trust me – and make the life _you_ want to live.

"This news is quite a shock, and we are very sorry for that. Please don't blame your father alone for not telling you. We made that decision together many years ago. We didn't think it was an appropriate thing to let our children know. Believe me, I wish you both were still in the dark on this subject."

"I'm sorry I hurt you with this news," Dad says. "I love you two and your mother more than anything. I hope you believe that." I let my mind wander through my childhood. One of my earliest memories was lying in front of the fire listening to Dad tell stories of how his day went. He always embellished just a bit to make them more entertaining for Caleb and me, something totally against Abnegation rules I imagine. I remember him teaching me to help in the kitchen. Until right now, I only remembered Mom being with Caleb and me but he was always right there with us, too. I don't remember a time when they didn't look and act happy. If she forgave him, who am I to hold his affair, something that happened years before I was born, against him. I get up and wrap my arms around my dad's neck.

"I love you," I say. "I'm glad the truth serum dispelled the rumors."

"I love you, too, Beatrice," Dad says, tears in his eyes, hugging me back fiercely.

"You can forgive him just like that?" Caleb asks with disbelief plain on his face.

"It isn't me who needs to forgive him, Caleb," I say. "It's Mom and she forgave him years ago. Do I like what he did? _No_. Do I condone what he did? _Never_. But I don't want ancient history to affect our relationship _today_. I'm not going to tell you what to do. You never listen to me anyway." He gives me a slight grin. "Try not to hold on to the anger. It could leave you bitter." My soon-to-be father-in-law's face flashes across my mind. He's bitter because he's still angry at Evelyn I imagine.

"I can't say that I will ever be okay with any of this but I will try," Caleb says.

"We better get going before we get locked inside Candor," Tobias says. "I for one don't want that to happen."


	28. Chapter 28

**A/N: A guest asked about Mr. Black's response about the number of children he has. I left out the unborn baby that is why he said 5. There was another question someone asked me but for the life of me I can't remember what it was and I can't find it. I'm not ignoring you! Anyway, enjoy!**

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><p>Tobias and I leave the Merciless Mart almost immediately after Dad's heartfelt apology. We say goodbye to my parents, brother, and Cara then leave the Candor sector and drive toward home. I would really like to talk to him about everything we learned today about his mother and my father but he looks like he's a million miles away in his own world, and I don't want to bother him. He'll talk to me when he's ready. I stare out my window watching one glass and metal building blur into the next, thinking about the bombshells that were dropped in the interrogations today. First, Robert isn't the one who attacked my father. I was happy to hear that someone I've known my entire life, someone I consider a friend, isn't capable of the brutal assault but at the same time we still don't know exactly who it was that attacked my dad. If it was Jeffrey Walsh, why did he do it? What's his motive? Second, Evelyn has <em>another<em> child with Ethan Black. I wonder if she would have ever told Tobias he has another sibling on her own. I also wonder why she kept his existence a secret when she told him about the other children. I feel so bad that this information came out in such a public way. It has to be eating at him. The only good thing is not many people know that Dauntless leader "Four" is actually Tobias Eaton, son of disgraced former Abnegation leader, Marcus Eaton, and his supposedly dead unfaithful wife, Evelyn Johnson Eaton. And third, my father had a one night stand with Ellie Black shortly before he and Mom got married. I'm still having a hard time wrapping my head around that information. I thought I knew exactly who my dad was and what he stood for. This has me questioning everything. Tobias turns the car into the underground garage and parks in our usual parking space. He turns the car off and finally looks at me. He is extremely pale and distressed looking.

"Do you want to talk about it?" I ask. He sighs.

"Let's talk about it later. Is that okay?" he says. I nod at him. "Let's go get Tyler so we can get home. It's been one hell of a day." He's got that right.

"Okay, maybe seeing him can salvage what's left of this day," I say. We get out of the car and walk hand-in-hand up to Zander and Stella's apartment in the family section of the compound. After knocking on their door, Stella lets us in. She tells us Tyler has just fallen asleep so we elect to get him home and turn down Zander and Stella's offer of a cup of coffee. Tobias carefully picks him up off their couch, we say goodbye, and thank them repeatedly for watching him this afternoon then make the short trek to our apartment. Tobias carries him directly to his room with me following close behind them. Tyler must have played hard because he doesn't wake up while I'm changing him into his race car pajamas. I tuck him in, and we both kiss his forehead goodnight.

"It's still early," he says. "Let's go downstairs."

"Alright," I say. He goes down first and heads straight to the kitchen and starts a pot of coffee, which tells me it's going to be a long night because he has something to get off his chest. I sit down on the loveseat and watch him while he busies himself. He turns around and leans against the counter with his arms crossed protectively over his chest.

"Can we talk?" he asks. I know him so well.

"What do you want to talk about?" I ask.

"Evelyn," he says. I should have known that already. "I don't think I can take Tyler to see her tomorrow. I don't trust myself to be in the same room with her for more than a minute without totally coming undone and saying something that I might regret later, and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize the health of our child. I am so ... angry ... disappointed ... frustrated ... pissed off ... disillusioned. God, I can't find the _right_ word. I feel like going to the tallest building in the city and screaming at the top of my lungs so that everyone can hear just what kind of person my mother is." He starts pacing back and forth in the kitchen. "I don't know why learning I have yet _another_ brother has thrown me so much. I knew sooner or later she would do something to screw everything up. Why can't I just have _one_ parent who isn't totally self-absorbed? One who loves their child the way a parent is supposed to." He stops pacing and pours two cups of coffee then comes to the living room and sits down next to me on the loveseat. He hands me my cup, puts his arm around me, and I lean into his side. "Will you take him to visit with her tomorrow? I can't punish Tyler just because I'm angry with her. He loves her and doesn't know the same woman I do. Keeping him away from her just because I'm angry wouldn't be fair to him."

"Of course I'll take him. Should I tell her why you aren't there?" I say.

"I don't think so," he says. "Even though I would love for her to know, we don't want to stress her out. It's not the baby's fault either. Just tell her I have a lot of work to get done before the wedding next week. It's not a lie. I do have a lot to do before I take two weeks off."

"Okay," I say. "I understand why you're not ready to see her and talk to her. She hid something very important from you. If Evelyn was here right now in front of us and there was absolutely _no_ possibility of her going into premature labor, what would you say to her?"

"I don't know," he says.

"Yes, you do, Tobias," I say. "Get it off your chest. It might help you to feel better." My heart squeezes looking into his eyes. He is in so much pain right now because of _her_. I hate her so much. Part of me wishes she never would have contacted him to let him know she was still alive.

"Okay," he says. He's quiet for a time just staring straight ahead, absentmindedly playing with my hair. "Do you love me at all? Have you _ever_ loved me? Do you have a motherly bone in your body? You keep having unprotected sex with a married man and bringing unwanted children into this world. Are you selfish, just lazy, or incredibly _stupid_? Did you _plan_ on having me with Marcus or was I unwanted too?

"Why did you leave me when I was 9 years old? Did I do something wrong? Was I a bad boy? Why didn't you take me with you? Why did you leave me with that monster? Did you stay awake nights worrying about what he was doing to me? You've told me on more than one occasion that you didn't believe he would ever abuse me the way he abused you when he was _already_ taking his frustrations out on me. Do you actually believe that or is it just _another_ lie? _I_ believe you lied. Do you try to make yourself feel better for lying to me? Did you turn a blind eye to what was happening in your home because you were so unhappy or did you just not care about anyone but yourself?

"How could you keep the existence of _another_ brother from me? Did you think I wasn't strong enough to handle the truth? Why did you abandon me, give _three_ children up for adoption, and keep Tyler? Why didn't you give him a chance at a normal life by putting him up for adoption like you did his three other siblings? Why did you keep him? You make him live a life with no hope for a future, and he doesn't deserve that, not at all. Do you actually _care_ about him at all? How can you be such a selfish human being?

"Do you want to know what hurts the most ... I still love you." His voice cracks on his last sentence. He's still staring straight ahead but I can see tears streaming down his face, and my heart breaks into a million pieces for him. I take our coffee mugs and set them on the end table then wraps my arms tightly around him and pull him close to me. He lays his head on my shoulder, wraps his arms tightly around me, and clings to me with all his might as he sobs like I've never heard him do before. Tears come to my eyes listening to his pain. "I'm sorry, Tris. I didn't mean to lose it." He leans back on the love seat and aggressively wipes the tears off his cheeks. I can tell he's embarrassed by his display even though he shouldn't be.

"Please don't apologize, Tobias. Your mother really hurt you," I say while running my fingers through his hair. "I had no idea."

"I'm sure I did deep down but I never let myself _feel_ it until right now. I have to say it was excruciating," he says looking at me with a sideways glance then he furrows his eyebrows. "I think she's worse than my father. I _know_ who he is and what he's capable of but I keep _forgetting_ who she is. I try to forgive her for what she's done and build a relationship with her and then I learn who she is all over again. She keeps duping me. I don't let Marcus walk all over me. Why do I keep letting her?"

"You want to love her. You want to forgive her. Can you do that unconditionally? If you think you can, you have to accept her for who she is, flaws and all. If you can't, you need to wash your hands of her once and for all. You have to do what is best for you, and only _you_ knows what that is."

"You are an extremely smart woman, Tris Prior. Have I ever told you that?" he says turning his body toward mine then slowly running his hand down my face in a loving caress. "How do I make that kind of decision? I'm not sure I can."

"You can do anything you set your mind to, and you have all the time in the world to make a decision as important as that. Just think about it," I say capturing his hand and bringing it to my mouth. I kiss our joined hands then let them fall between us. "There's no rush but once you make up your mind, commit to it."

"How are you doing with your dad's news," he asks. "I was surprised when you gave him a hug and told him you loved him. I actually thought he'd get a slap in the face from you." I think about his question for a minute while staring into his eyes.

"I don't know how to answer that question, Tobias. I'm _not_ okay with what he did, not in the least. But I figured it wasn't _me_ who needed to forgive him. Mom forgave him, so who am I to hold it against him. Like I told Caleb, I don't want ancient history to come between us," I say. "I have to tell you what helped me the most was when I thought, _'What's the difference between yesterday when I was ignorant of his indiscretion and knowing what I know today?'_ All I could come up with was the _knowing_." My mind drifts a little bit thinking about Dad's interrogation. "It kind of turned my world upside down ... my view of the world anyway. If someone would have asked me yesterday if I thought my dad could or _would_ cheat on my mom I would have laughed in their face and said there's no way in hell he would ever do that. Learning _he_ of all people is capable of that kind of ... _betrayal_ makes me question who isn't capable of doing something like that."

"Do you honestly think _I_ would ever have sex with someone else? That I would want to," he asks. I stare into his dark blue eyes and think about his question.

"I know you would never cheat on me," I say. "You love me too much to hurt me like that."

"You think I love you too much?" he asks.

"You love me more than I deserve," I say with a sigh, hanging my head. There is still a very large part of me who doesn't think I deserve him.

"Beatrice Grace Prior, you are totally absurd," he says with a sigh. I raise my eyes to meet his. "Sometimes I don't understand you."

"I know," I say. "I am being a bit absurd tonight. Are _you_ having cold feet?"

"Where's _that_ coming from?" he asks with a frown on his face.

"I was thinking about Dad," I say. "He had a one night stand because he was having cold feet. Just to let you know, I'd rather have you tell me you're having doubts so we can talk about it than have you think about having sex with someone else." He moves his face right into mine.

"I'm _not_ you father. I'm _not_ going to fall into someone else's bed because I'm having second thoughts and, by the way, I'm not _having_ second thoughts," he says, leaning in and putting his lips on mine. He pulls away after a minute and slowly adds, "Are _you_ having second thoughts?"

"Oh, God, no!" I say, shaking my head, which brings a huge smile to his face. I love his smile so much. "No cold feet here. If I'm being perfectly honest with you though, I'm a little nervous about the wedding ceremony and reception but I'm looking forward to the marriage. _That's_ the important part to me. I've said this to a couple people but I'd be happy if next Wednesday was already here and gone."

"Really? Most women know exactly what they want their perfect wedding to be and if every little detail isn't just right, they have a meltdown," he says. "I know, I've seen it." The look on his face makes me laugh out loud.

"I know girls like that, too," I say, still laughing. "It might surprise you but I'm not one of them. When I was a little girl, I didn't have my dream wedding all planned out. I didn't fantasize about what kind of flowers I would use or what the perfect dress would look like. I didn't know what colors I just _had_ to have or what songs I'd be playing at the reception. When I thought about getting married, I always tried to envision the kind of guy I would like to spend the rest of my life with. I thought about what qualities a man had to have not what I would dance my first dance to. I dreamt of a perfect husband _not_ a perfect wedding. _You_ are the most important detail for me. You always have been, and you always will be. I will never have second thoughts when it comes to you."

"I'm glad to hear that," he says. He slowly pushes me back, watching my reaction, until he is partially lying on top of me. He is holding himself, making sure I'm not getting his entire weight. He unhurriedly lowers his mouth back to mine and kisses me slowly as I wrap my arms around his neck. As the passion builds, he pushes his tongue into my mouth and explores every inch. I let my hands roam over his back and feel his hands slowly start to climb up my body from where they have been sitting on my waist. I try to keep the panic at bay but when he gently covers my breast, I tense up. He immediately moves his hand back to my waist but doesn't stop kissing me. I immediately relax and let him make love to my mouth with his talented tongue. When we can no longer breathe, he slowly pulls away from me and runs his hand gently down my face. I need to apologize for tensing up, and I start to open my mouth but he stops me.

"Don't you _dare_ apologize, Tris," he says seeing sorrow in my eyes. "This time last week I couldn't even kiss you without you pushing me away. Now look at us. I think we are doing amazing."

"I love you so much for being patient with me," I say. "What irritates me the most is that I want you ... _so_ _much_ ... but when you touch me."

"I said you don't have to apologize," he says, cutting me off.

"I'm not," I say, interrupting him. "You need to know how I'm feeling. Isobel told me to make sure that I'm sharing things with you. It _kills_ me that I'm not ready to make love to you when I want to so badly. Thank you for waiting. I know you say your fine with not having sex but Tobias, I can _feel_ you. I know what you want." He closes his eyes, and when he opens them, he has a sheepish look on his face. He cups the side of my face with his hand, and I lean into it.

"I'm not lying to you when I tell you that I'm fine not having sex. It's the truth. I'll wait forever for you if that's what you need," he says, an intense fire burning just below the surface of his penetrating gaze. "I _would_ be lying to you if I didn't say that yes, I would give anything right now to be inside of you, making love to you. I want you so bad right now in this moment that it actually hurts." I flinch a little at his powerful words. "Scaring you isn't my intention. I'm sorry." I put my hand on his, and we stare into each other's eyes. Can I make love to him right now? I want to so bad but the thought has my heart hammering in my chest like a freight train. He moves off of me, making my decision for me.

"Maybe we should get ready for bed," I say.

"Okay," he says. "And by the way, I love you, too." He holds his hand out to me and helps me off the couch. When we reach the top of the stairs I hear Tyler start to cry.

"Why don't you use the bathroom first and I'll check on Tyler," I say. He kisses me a little longer than he should and then he groans. I imagine a cold shower is in store for him tonight, and I feel really bad about that. I go into Tyler's room and find him sitting up in his bed crying.

"Hi, buddy," I say. "Are you okay?"

"Too dawk," he says.

"I'm sorry," I say. "Four and I were downstairs. We didn't have the lights on. Did you wake up and not know where you were?" He nods his head at me. "You fell asleep at Zander and Stella's house, and you didn't wake up when we brought you home. I already put you in your pajamas. Would you like to rock with me for a little while. I sure could use the company."

"Yeah," he says. I pick him up and carry him across his room and sit down in the wooden rocking chair. He snuggles into me as we rock. I don't know which one of us loves this the most, him or me?

"Did you have fun with Zane and Avery today?" I ask, knowing it will take him a little while to fall back to sleep.

"Yeah. Pawk fun," he says. "Had nilla ice cweam."

"Yummy! I love vanilla," I say. "I'm glad you had a nice time. You better try to get back to sleep."

"Okay, love you," he says with a yawn. It always makes me smile when he tells me he loves me spontaneously.

"I love you too, Tyler, to the moon and back," I say kissing the top of his head. I rock with him until he falls back to sleep then I get up and put him back in his bed. I switch his nightlight on then partially close his door. Tobias is out of the bathroom so I take a quick shower. I'm in-and-out in less than five minutes. I put on one of his old t-shirts and a pair of underwear and slide into bed next to him. I lie my head on his chest and breathe in his scent. He draws me to his side and plays with my hair. We cuddle close together until we fall asleep. My dreams are relatively normal. I only wake up once in a panic from the chasm dream. I remind myself it's not real, and I do some deep breathing exercises Isobel taught me. I relax and fall back into a peaceful sleep for the rest of the night.


	29. Chapter 29

**A/N: Sorry my update is later than usual. I had a late night last night and didn't get up very early! But here it is now! Enjoy!**

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><p>My heart is pounding in my ears as Tyler and I pull into one of the hospital's underground parking garages so he can have 30 minutes of visitation with Evelyn. This is the last thing I want to do today, especially in light of what Tobias and I found out yesterday during Robert and Ethan Black's interrogations but I can't deny Tyler much-needed time with his mother just because I can't stomach looking at her. I get Tyler out of the car and take the elevator up to the fifth floor. We make our way through the maze of hallways to the obstetrics' wing waiting room. We have at least 15 minutes until the charge nurse will bring Evelyn down so I dig around in Tyler's diaper bag and retrieve his dump truck and fire engine. I hand them to him, and he quietly sits at my feet playing. After he has played for a little while, he stands up and gives me back his toys.<p>

"You sure do look handsome today," I say, straightening his black button down shirt.

"Tanks," he says. "Sit wit you?"

"Of course," I say, picking him up and putting him on my lap. "Do you want your milk?" He nods his head at me so I get his sippy cup out of the bag and give it to him. He drinks the milk while cuddling into me. "Do you know what we are doing here?" He looks up over his head into my eyes and smiles.

"No," he says.

"Do you remember Four telling you that I was going to bring you to see your mommy," I say.

"Yeah," he says with a little frown. "You no leave, Twis."

"I'm not going anywhere, buddy," I say.

"Tris Prior?" a young woman with shoulder length blonde hair dressed in Erudite colors says to me. "My name is Sheila Watkins. I'm Tyler's social worker." She nervously adjusts her glasses then sticks her hand out to me, and I shake it. "I'm sorry we haven't met sooner. I usually speak to your fiancé, Four. How is Tyler doing?"

"I think he's doing very well," I say. "We are here to visit his mother today."

"I know," she says. "The hospital notified me of their meeting. I'm required to monitor their interactions since they haven't been in contact for some time."

"We wanted to bring him sooner but the hospital wouldn't let us," I say, suddenly feeling like _I'm_ the one being evaluated.

"I know," she says with a warm smile on her face. "I, too, tried to get them to loosen their restrictions in this situation but they wouldn't budge. How did you manage to change their minds after all this time?"

"I'm a little embarrassed to say this but my father intervened on Tyler's behalf," I say. Confusion crosses her face. "I was complaining about the fact that he hasn't seen his mother in almost three months. Dad called the hospital's administrator at home and got this meeting arranged." She still looks like she doesn't understand. She must not know who my dad is, which is strange. I thought everyone knows who he is. "My dad is Andrew Prior." Recognition lights her face.

"Beatrice Prior," she says.

"It's just Tris now," I say. "I changed my name when I joined Dauntless last July. I'm sorry. I though you knew."

"If I'd really thought about it, I would have figured it out," she says. "Well I'm glad your father was able to do what we haven't been able to do in all these months. Will Four be joining us today?"

"No, he won't," I say. "It's just Tyler and me today."

"Twis," Tyler says with a frown. "Go home now. Peas."

"Don't you want to see your mother, Tyler?" Sheila asks. Tyler looks up at me.

"No, want Twis," he says and I blush. He hasn't been this clingy for weeks. A look of concern comes over Sheila's face.

"Tyler," Evelyn says from a wheelchair down the hallway. He turns his head at the sound of his name and looks at her. He sits on my lap staring blankly at his mother. "Oh, honey. I've missed you so much." Sheila moves across the sizable room to give the mother and son some alone time but I notice that she doesn't take her eyes off of us. The nurse parks the wheelchair in front of Tyler and me and sets the brake.

"I'll be back every five minutes to check on your vitals," she says looking at the numbers on the monitor Evelyn is attached to. "If the baby becomes distressed, you will be taken back to your room immediately, otherwise you have 30 minutes. Have a good visit, Evelyn." I have to keep her calm. We can't have the baby in any danger.

"Why don't you come see me," Evelyn says, holding his arms out to Tyler. He clings to me all the while staring at her with furrowed eyebrows. It's almost like he doesn't remember who she is. She slowly lowers her arms and slides her eyes to mine. "Where is Tobias?"

"_Four_ couldn't come today," I say emphasizing the name he has told her to call him countless times. "He has a lot of work to do before the wedding and honeymoon so he didn't think he could take the extra time off to bring Tyler to see you so he asked me to do it for him. I hope you don't mind."

"I do wish he could be here but I understand," she says. "Thank you for bringing him to see me, Beatrice." Yep, my name still sounds like an expletive.

"Tyler, do you know who this is? It's your mommy! Do you want to say hi?" I say. He sits quietly, holding onto me for dear life. Is it possible for him to have forgotten who she is in such a short amount of time? He's acting like he doesn't know her. I study her appearance and try to put myself in his place. She's a lot bigger than she was the last time he saw her. Her complexion is healthier but she seems like she is retaining fluid so her face is quite a bit fuller. Since she's been in the hospital she's had access to a bathroom with a shower so she's cleaner than she used to be. It is possible he just doesn't recognize her. I think he might recognize her voice if I can get her talking. "Try talking to him. I don't think he recognizes you."

"I sure have missed you," Evelyn says. "It's nice to see your face. You look different wearing all black. Don't get used to that." I see him frown at her, and I can't help but join him.

"Can you tell Mommy what you've been doing lately with me and Four?" I say trying to ignore Evelyn's passive aggressive comment. "Can you tell her about going to the park with your friend Zane yesterday?"

"Went pawk wit Zane and Avey," Tyler shyly says. Evelyn looks toward me.

"That's right. Avery was with you, too," I say. "Avery is Tyler's babysitter."

"How often do you leave him?" she asks with a hateful tone. I take a deep calming breath and smile at her. She is making it increasingly difficult not to be rude to her.

"He goes to daycare Monday through Saturday when Four and I are at work. Avery watches him a couple Friday and most Saturday nights.

"That much?" she says sounding appalled. "I'm surprised he even knows who _you_ are. You don't spend enough time with him."

"Love Avey," Tyler says with a huge pout. "Love _Twis_." He may only be 2 years old but he knows he's being talked about and not in a friendly way. "Go home now, Twis. _Peas_."

"We'll go home soon, buddy," I say. "I promise."

"It's not his home," she says under her breath but loud enough for me to hear. God, how I hate this woman. She is a horrid human being. If she wasn't so close to delivering the baby ... _my_ baby, I'd unload on her. I can't wait for the day I can tell her just what I think of her. But I swallow my pride and sit Tyler on his feet and pick up his diaper bag. This day is about him, not me. I give him the small bag of cookies we baked especially for Evelyn just this morning and give it to him.

"Remember, you baked those especially for your mommy," I say. "You want to share them with her?" He takes a tentative step forward and then another and hands Evelyn the bag of home baked chocolate chip cookies. After she takes it from his small hand, he comes right back to me and holds his arms up. I pick him back up and put him on my lap. My eyes momentarily slide to Evelyn's, and she is seething. I can't help but flinch.

"Hello, Evelyn," I hear Tobias say, startling me.

"Fo!" Tyler says reaching for him. "Hi! Go home now?"

"Hi, buddy," Tobias says picking Tyler up off my lap and sitting down beside me. "No, we aren't going home yet." He kisses Tyler's head and gives me a quick peck on the cheek. "I'm sorry I didn't come with you and Tris but I'm here now." I reach out and take his hand and squeeze it. I am so thankful he's here as a buffer between his mother and me.

"I am so glad you are here," I say, "but we only have about 10 minutes left."

"Tyler, baby, please come over here and see Mommy," she says. He shakes his head and starts crying.

"Hey, why the tears?" I ask, lovingly wiping them away. "You know you don't have to do anything you don't want to do but, buddy, don't you miss your mommy? She sure misses you. Do you think you can give her a hug if Four holds you?" He says no very loudly, lunges at me, and buries his head in my chest. "I'm truly sorry, Evelyn. I didn't know he would react this way, or I wouldn't have had this visit arranged."

"I know," she says with an exaggerated sigh like she doesn't believe me. "Well, Tyler Aaron, the nurse is coming to take me back to my room. I love you so much." He peeks at her.

"Bye," he says then he looks up at me. "Go home now?"

"Yeah, we'll take you home now," Four says.

"Tobias, aren't you going to stay and visit with me?" she asks. "I'd like at least _one_ son to be happy to see me." I look at Tobias and I see his jaw tighten. That probably isn't the best thing to say to him today of all days.

"No, Evelyn. I'm not staying. I have a lot of work to do. I'm on my lunch hour and came to pick up Tris and Tyler," he says. "And by the look of things, I was right to come." Without another word, the nurse wheels Evelyn back to her room.

"Good afternoon, Four," Sheila says. "I wasn't expecting you here today."

"I honestly hadn't planned on it," he says, "but I'm glad I came. Tyler doesn't look like he did very well with seeing her."

"May I speak to the two of you in private?" she asks. "Tyler can play in the daycare center with the other kids. I won't take up much of your time. My office is this way." We follow her to a small office right next door to the daycare center. We tell Tyler we'll be right back and give him his trucks to play with. He sits down in a corner by himself and plays quietly. After we are seated, Sheila pulls a large file folder out of the cabinet behind her.

"What is this about?" Tobias asks. "Is there a problem?"

"No problems that I can see," she says. "It's just the opposite. I would like to know if the two of you have ever considered adopting Tyler." I can't believe my ears at the moment. I'm not really hearing what I think I'm hearing, am I? I must be having a dream or a nightmare depending on how you look at it. I can't believe that Tyler's social worker is broaching the subject of adoption. I _can't_ hear this unless she truly means it.

"What do you mean?" I timidly ask.

"Just what I said," she says, adjusting her glasses again. "Tyler has flourished under your care. He is _not_ the same boy he was three short months ago. From what I witnessed today, you two can provide him with a stable home that Evelyn cannot."

"You can't take him away from her," I say. Sheila looks at me like I'm crazy but she doesn't know about my greatest fear. "Once he sees her on a more regular basis, he'll remember who she is. He does love her. I've held him while he cried for her. He was just a bit confused and overwhelmed today."

"If it's in his best interest, we can and _will_ take him away from her. She is factionless and has no real means to care for him. She has no home, no job. He was malnourished and frail three months ago. That is what got me involved. I don't cherish the thought of taking a child away from their birth parent or parents but if it needs to be done, I will do it," she gruffly says. "If the determination is made that Evelyn Johnson is not in the best interest of the minor child, Tyler Johnson, I need to know if you would be open to adopting him. This isn't a guarantee by any means but if you say no and he's taken from her, he'll be adopted out to a family in the city and you will have no further contact with him ever again. That being said, it is my opinion after watching your interaction today that he would be best off in your care. He already thinks of you two as his parents, that much is obvious." I hear every word Sheila says but I don't comprehend them. If Social Services takes Tyler from Evelyn, whether I think it's a good idea or not, he could be adopted out, and I would never see him again. No, _that_ can't happen. If he's with his mom, we'll still get to see him at times. I wouldn't survive the crushing pain I'm feeling right now just _thinking_ about never looking into his pale blue eyes or combing his curly dark locks or hearing his angelic little laugh ever again. I look at Tobias and immediately see what I'm feeling mirrored in his eyes.

"If you determine my mother is not what's best for Tyler, Tris and I would be more than honored to adopt him. As a matter of fact that would make us both extremely happy," Tobias says. "Would you need his father's permission also?"

"Yes, do you have his name and contact information?" she asks.

"I do," he says. "His name is Ethan Black. He lives in Abnegation with his wife, Ellie. I guess I can give you his contact information after yesterday." She must know about yesterday's interrogations because she doesn't look confused by his comment. He writes his name, address, and phone number on a sheet of paper and slides it across her extremely neat desk. "His wife knows about his extramarital affair and of the children he's had with Evelyn so it won't come as a shock if you speak to her. Tyler's never met Mr. Black before. He's never wanted anything to do with any of the children they had together, at least that's what Evelyn told me."

"May I ask why you call your mother by her first name?" Sheila asks.

"This isn't something I like to talk about, Sheila, but it's something you should know," he says. He's silent for a moment before he continues. "She abandoned me when I was 9 years old. She knowingly left me with my abusive father. It's hard for me to think of them as Mom and Dad. It's more natural to call them Evelyn and Marcus."

"I see. That is interesting news. Thank you for your honesty, Four," she says. "Will you be bringing him back to see her next Monday?"

"Yes," I say.

"Okay," she says. "I will put that on my schedule. I see everything's been going well with the home visits." Once a month, a little old Erudite man with gray hair and black horn-rimmed glasses that looks like he could be blown away in a windstorm has come to our home to check on Tyler's living conditions and wellbeing. Even though he is a man of few words, he's always seems impressed. "Thank you for stepping up and taking care of Tyler. He's lucky to have you two."

"We're glad to do it," I say. "I can't imagine my life without knowing him."

"Well that is all I have today," she says, standing up. We all shake hands again and walk into the hallway. I can see Tyler through the glass doors, and I start to let myself hope like I've never hoped before. I look into Tobias' eyes with tears in mine.

"Come here," he says. I rush into his open arms. I can't let myself get my hopes up that one day I will hear him call me mommy. I breathe in Tobias' scent and it calms me immediately. "We can't go there yet, Tris. I know what's running through that beautiful head of yours."

"I know, Tobias. I know," I whisper into his chest. "How did you get here? Did you jump a train?" He nods at me.

"Yeah, I didn't think I should leave you alone in this," he says. "I'm glad I made the right decision. She wasn't very nice to you. Is she always that way when I'm not around?" I hate to add more fuel to the fire but I think the truth is what's needed right now.

"She doesn't like me very much," I say. "She's never said anything specific, it's just how she talks to me."

"I'm so sorry. I was really hoping that one of my parents could treat you with the respect your parents have shown me," he says. "Let's get Tyler home. Even though you've only been here a little over an hour, I'm sure it was exhausting for you."

"It was," I say. Being around his family is always exhausting for me. He gets Tyler from the daycare center, and we walk to the car. I let him drive home. He's a much better driver than I am. There's still plenty of work day left so we drop Tyler off at Dauntless' daycare center and tell him we'll meet him for supper at 6:00 p.m. Then we walk hand-in-hand back to the Pire and go into our separate offices for the rest of the afternoon.

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><p><strong>AN: I knew I had forgotten a question posed to me. Lissa, the scene about tattoos is already written and just happens to be in the next chapter! I'm sorry I forgot to answer sooner. It just slipped my mind. **

**-Moonshine**


	30. Chapter 30

**A/N: Over 50,000 views! You guys are the best. Enjoy!**

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><p>Christina exiled me to my bathroom to take a relaxing bubble bath since my nervous energy has had me bouncing off the walls today. I get the temperature of the water just right, fill the oversized tub, and add the relaxing scent of the lavender bubble bath she let me borrow. It's a pleasant scent, not overwhelming at all like some of my bath salts and lotions. I pull my hair up in a messy bun near the top of my head, slide my silk robe off my shoulders, and hang it on the back of the bathroom door. I put a fluffy white towel on the towel rack then step into the bath and sit down in the mountain of white bubbles. I can't believe that in a little over 24 short hours I can finally call myself Mrs. Tobias Eaton. If I'm being totally honest with myself, it's all I've wanted since our eyes locked when he reached up and helped me out of the net. We have the walk through and wedding rehearsal dinner at the old Crystal Gardens building at the Navy Pier at 8:00 p.m. tonight. Christina and I discussed having it outside at the Ferris wheel where the actual ceremony will be held tomorrow but I'm glad we decided to have tonight's festivities indoors. It's been raining heavily most of the day but luckily tomorrows forecast calls for zero clouds, warm temperatures, and no wind. It will be a perfect day for an outdoor wedding. I need to stop thinking about tomorrow because it's making me even more nervous. I inhale the scent that's encircling me and think about the past week.<p>

I went to Abnegation the middle of last week for a council meeting. We accomplished a lot during the eight-hour session. We voted to loosen the restrictions on faction before blood. Faction members can lawfully stay in contact with their family members if they desire to do so. It is now encouraged to get to know members of other factions in hopes of making sure one faction never again wants to overthrow another. Caleb brought up his idea of letting factionless 16-year-olds choose a faction at the Choosing Ceremony just like every other 16 year old in a city does. It was embraced by all and was voted into law that very day. All they have to do is go to Candor and get their birth records. If there is no record of their birth, they must have a parent accompany them to Candor to fill out some paperwork to get a replacement birth certificate. I could tell by the look on Dad's face he was extremely proud of his son, and I don't blame him. It was an ingenious idea that came out of a two-minute conversation we had about Evelyn.

Tobias, Will, Tori, and I had a lengthy meeting yesterday morning preparing them for our almost two-week absence. We went over the incident reports before I filed them away. We've had two more men complain of missing points from their accounts but we've had no video footage of the woman at the bar or any men checking themselves into the infirmary with the intoxication-like symptoms, so she's still a mystery to us. After the meeting was over, Tobias handed over the keys to the kingdom, so to speak, to Tori and Will and instructed them to only disturb us in the event of a dire emergency, and they agreed. They also told us not to worry about work, and that is advice I plan to take.

We still don't know who is behind Dad's attack. Since we are so close to our wedding date, Jack decided to postpone Jeffrey's interrogation until after our honeymoon so that we can be present. He has assured us though that his DNA is a match to that found on my dad's wounds. So for the next two and a half weeks he is going to be sitting in a cell at Candor. If he's guilty of the attack, then he deserves to be locked up but if he can explain his DNA away, then we are back at square one, and he's been locked up for nothing just like Robert was. Tobias tried to get ahold of Robert to talk to him about their shared brother but he had no luck. Since it was learned that he did nothing wrong, after his interrogation Robert was free to go back to Amity, and he hasn't returned any of Tobias' phone messages. He told me he would try again after the honeymoon.

Tobias and I took Tyler to see Evelyn again yesterday afternoon but it went no better than it did last Monday. As a matter of fact it actually went worse, and I didn't think that was possible. He ignored her for 20 straight minutes, begging us to go home the entire time. When he broke down and started crying, I couldn't take any more. I figured that right now he's _our_ responsibility, and he didn't want to see her so I picked him up and carried him to the car. I could tell that Evelyn wasn't happy with me but I don't care. He calmed immediately after we left. I asked him questions trying to get a reason for his behavior but it isn't always easy understanding what goes through a 2 year olds mind. He kept saying something over and over but the only thing I could make out was that he wanted to go home. I honestly think he doesn't recognize her. That is the only explanation that I can come up with. Maybe after the baby is born and she's looking more like her old self, he will warm up to her. After about half-an-hour of sitting in the car, Tobias finally came. After Tyler fell asleep on the way home, he told me the social worker brought up the adoption again and this time in front of his mother. He was appalled with Sheila at first because of putting the baby in danger but apparently Evelyn saw it coming. She doesn't _like_ the idea of giving Tyler up but she isn't totally against it, which I have mixed emotions about. On one hand, she would be giving him a chance at a better life but on the other hand, what kind of mother keeps giving away her children. I have to remind myself quite often not to get my hopes up but it isn't easy. I love that little boy with all my heart, and I know he loves me.

Tobias and I had a date night last Saturday night, and I still can't believe he took me to the tattoo parlor. He had me get all dressed up, which I didn't mind doing. I love dressing up for him. When we got close to the Pit, he tied a black cloth over my eyes. I was a bit panicky at first but he kept whispering in my ear the whole way. I noticed it heightened my other senses. I could hear snickers, laughter, and whispers I know were aimed at us. I could smell dirt, dampness, ink, sweat, and metal in the air on our walk. I was surprised I was able to pick out so many different scents. I could feel every brush of Tobias' hand on my lower back, leading me safely down the path to our destination and every feathery touch of his lips in my hair with his phantom kisses he didn't know I knew he was giving me. When he took the blindfold off, I was genuinely astonished. We were in a side room at the tattoo parlor. He had a table set up with a romantic candle lit dinner for two. I kept asking why the tattoo parlor but he wouldn't tell me until after dessert, which was the heavenly cheesecake like we had on Valentine's Day. That is when he told me he was going to get a tattoo that represented me as a wedding present. I burst into tears and immediately blamed it on the hormones. I don't know why I hadn't figured out why he took me there, but I never did. Tori came into the room when we finished eating to do his tattoo, my name, Beatrice Grace, over his heart. She gave me a special ink and had me write my name on his chest then she tattooed over it. I asked if we could do something else, and of course he said yes, so I had Tori put infinity symbols on the inside of our left wrists. On the upper left loop, Four was spelled out and on the lower right loop, Six was spelled out ... never breaking the continuous line that has become a symbol of our never-breaking, never-ending love.

Under normal circumstances we would have went home and made love but the trauma of Peter's attack is still weighing heavily on me. I'm getting much better but I still haven't been able to bring myself to relax enough to move things to the next level. When I think that way, I kind of laugh at myself. It makes me sound like a naïve virgin instead of a pregnant woman who is about to get married tomorrow. We actually did try to make love that night, and I went the farthest I've gone since that afternoon in the training room but I stopped him at the last minute. We talked afterward. I tried to apologize once again but he shut me down. I'm not sure I would be as understanding if our roles were reversed. We agreed we would back off and not try again until our honeymoon, and I've been more relaxed about his touch. Knowing it's not going to lead anywhere has really empowered me. I can handle his touch without tensing, and we've been messing around ... _a lot_.

Peter is still at large. Tobias has his best men trying to track him down but he's still evading us. It's like he's disappeared. The one thing I know as fact is he's not hiding out in Dauntless. He's somewhere in the city so I no longer feel scared walking around the compound by myself. I can even go into the training room without feeling like my head is going to explode. Isobel has me go into the training room every day for increasing periods of time, which is beneficial for me on many levels. If I have to train initiates in a few months, I have to be able to enter that room without breaking down.

I'm thankful I've been talking to Isobel. I talk to her nearly every day even if we just text back and forth. She was right the day she came to my office to offer me her services. She's made me confront demons I didn't even know I had. I'm also incredibly grateful that I finally opened up to Tobias and Christina. That helped me a lot. I don't think I would be getting back to _me_ so quickly if it weren't for talking to them.

"That is a lot of bubbles," Tobias says from the doorway. I look at him and smile.

"They are supposed to be relaxing me," I say. "Christina let me borrow this." I reach over the side of the tub and hand him the bottle. He opens it and smells the delicate scent.

"That smells good," he says. "It's very light. Is it helping?"

"If I keep my mind off the wedding, yes," I say bashfully.

"Well, we have to leave in about an hour and have to drop Tyler off at the Parrish's first," he says. "You might want to get ready."

"I'll get ready only if you tell me what you did today," I say. He's been gone since right after breakfast. He smiles that gorgeous smile of his, and it melts my heart.

"Nope," he says with a slightly evil-looking grin. I wonder what he's up to. "You don't need to know what I was doing today. It's honeymoon related." Not knowing where he is taking me is _killing_ me.

"You're mean!" I say finally noticing that he's ready for tonight dressed in a pair of black tailored pants, black loafers, and a long-sleeved black, white, and gray pinstriped shirt. "You look fantastic by the way." I let my eyes wander over his body.

"Thank you," he says. "Tyler and I will wait for you downstairs." He kneels down and kisses me. "I love you.

"I love you, too," I say. "I'll hurry." He kisses my forehead then straightens up, turns, and walks out of the bathroom. I take the plug out of the drain, stand up, and wrap myself in the fluffy towel. After I dry myself thoroughly, I put my robe on, put my hair in an Abnegation style bun at the back of my head only because it won't lay the way I want it to, and do my makeup. I go into my bedroom and put on my new black long-sleeved knee length cocktail dress that clings to my newly found curves but isn't skin tight and 3-inch high heel peekaboo toed pumps. I look at myself in front of the full length mirror and realize my teardrop necklace will look great with the square neckline of this outfit. The pushup bra I'm wearing actually makes me look like I have cleavage. I put the necklace and earrings on and rummage in my dresser drawer for my platinum charm bracelet but I can't find it anywhere. I swear I put it back after I wore it last. I hurry downstairs.

"Tobias, do you know where my charm bracelet is? I can't find it anywhere," I say. He is standing in the middle of the living room, and the look on his face takes my breath away and stops me in my tracks. He is seductively looking me up and down. My mouth goes instantly dry, and I dart my tongue out to wet my lips, and he groans softly.

"You are absolutely gorgeous," he says and I can't help but smile at him.

"Twis, pwitty," Tyler says. I tear my eyes away from Tobias', which is quite a feat and look at Tyler.

"Thank you," I say. He laughs loudly at me. I look back at Tobias, and he's holding my bracelet. "There it is." I walk up to him and look into his eyes. "What did you do?"

"I got you a wedding gift," he says putting my bracelet on my right wrist. It has a new charm, a platinum bell that actually clangs hanging opposite the last charm he got me shortly after we got engaged, a platinum diamond ring.

"It's beautiful," I whisper. "Thank you." I wrap my arms around his neck and draw his mouth to mine. I kiss him slowly for a while until I hear Tyler's little laugh. He moves his mouth from mine, and we look at the giggle box. He's sitting on the couch covering his eyes with his little hands. When I see him, I can't help but laugh with him. Tobias lets me go and picks him up and puts him on his shoulders.

"Well, it's time to get this party started!" Tobias says. We walk to Zander and Stella's apartment to drop off Tyler for the night. He's also going to spend the 10 days Tobias and I are on our honeymoon with them. I'm going to miss him like crazy.

"You have a good time with Zane tonight," I say when Tobias and I are standing in the Parrish living room. "You need to listen to what Zander and Stella tell you. I'll see you tomorrow night. Give me a big hug." He lunges at me and hugs me tightly. "I love you so much, Tyler. I'm going to miss you."

"Love you, Twis," he says then gives me a big wet kiss on the mouth. "Love you, Fo." He leans over and wraps his arms around Tobias' neck and kisses him, too. "See you morrow."

"I love you, too, buddy," he says. "You be good and have a good time. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thanks for everything, Zander, Stella," I say. "I don't know how we will ever repay you."

"Oh, that's easy," Stella says with a gleam in her eyes. "You'll have to watch our six kids so we can go on a 10-day second honeymoon." My mouth drops open as I stare at her in disbelief. "Relax, Tris. I was just kidding." She rolls her pretty green eyes at me. I'm sure she is but I'm still having a little trouble breathing.

"We might be able to watch Zane one night before Tyler goes back to his mother," Tobias says. At the mention of Tyler leaving, fear squeezes my heart painfully.

"He would love that and maybe Mommy and Daddy would too," Zander says looking lovingly at Stella.

"Thanks again," Tobias says. "We're running a little late so we're going to have to go." We say our final goodbyes, kiss and hug Tyler again, and head toward the Navy Pier. "Nervous?" I look at him in the glow of the blue dashboard lights and desire stirs in the pit of my stomach for the first time in ages.

"A little," I say, shaking off the desire. We definitely don't have time for it now. "But I know tonight is to make tomorrow easier for us. Are _you_ nervous?"

"I'll save my nervousness for tomorrow, okay?" he says.

"Okay! Deal," I say with a chuckle. "Let's just enjoy ourselves tonight." There used to be an underground parking garage under the Crystal Gardens that would be very convenient tonight but it hasn't been used in decades so Tobias turns into a gravel parking area across from the Navy Pier. Thankfully, the rain has stopped because we have to walk the rest of the way.

"I never told you how beautiful you look tonight," Tobias says holding my door open for me. He helps me out of the car, and I immediately go into his arms. I pull his mouth to mine and kiss him aggressively, surprising him. When we can no longer breathe, I pull away from him. "Wow! Um, what was that for?"

"I love you, and I can't believe that we will be married this time tomorrow. By the way, you did tell me you thought I looked beautiful earlier," I say with what must be a goofy grin on my face. "I'm just excited." I take his left hand in mine and press my lips lovingly to the pulse point on his wrist that lays directly beneath the infinity symbol tattoo. "Shall we go?"

"You're kind of scaring me, Tris," he says with his eyebrows furrowed. "I haven't seen you this ... _happy_ in quite some time. You're not ... putting on a happy front are you?" I stop in my tracks and whirl around to look him in the eyes.

"Why would you think that?" I say, angry now.

"I'm sorry, Tris," he says with a sigh. "I didn't mean to offend you. You just seem different tonight."

"I _am_ different, Tobias. I thought you knew that already. If you're wondering _why_ I'm happy tonight, there's more than one reason. I get to marry my best friend tomorrow. _That_ makes me happy. I'm with you right now. _That_ makes me happy. Also, I looked at you earlier tonight and actually _felt_ desire for the first time in weeks. _That_ makes me _extremely_ happy. So you see, I have _a lot_ to be happy about," I say, sorrow making tears swim in my eyes but anger keeps them from flowing freely down my cheeks. "Why would I pretend to be happy the night before the happiest day of my life?" He moves to pull me toward him, and I take a step back. "_Don't_ touch me." I turn and stomp off in the direction of the dilapidated carnival. I hear a door open and close but I don't look to see where it's coming from. When I get to the carousel, I find a dry place and sit down.

"I owe you an apology, don't I?" Tobias says after a couple minutes, sitting down next to me. "I told everyone we'll be in shortly. I'm sorry I asked if you are putting a happy face on, love. You haven't been genuinely happy since that day. I saw your old spark tonight, and I wanted ... no I _needed_ to know if it was real or if you were putting on a brave front for everyone else's benefit. I should have known better. Can you forgive me?"

"I don't want to fight with you. That's the last thing I want. Just know I'm more than happy right now, Tobias, and I plan on staying this way from now on," I say. "By the way, when I kissed you earlier, I was thinking about the honeymoon."

"Yeah?" he says, a smile lighting his face.

"Oh, yeah!" I say returning his smile. "Can we try this again?" I put both my arms around his neck and gaze into his loving eyes for a while before his mouth lands on mine in a kiss reminiscent of our first. It's tentative, passionate, loving. He tightens his grip on me, and I sigh into his open mouth.

"Maybe you two should get a room," Christina says from about 10 feet away. I jump at the sound of her voice and back away from Tobias. She must have a radar as to when we are enjoying an intimate moment.

"Didn't I tell you we'd be in when we were done?" Tobias says sounding more like Four.

"Sorry," she says. "People are getting antsy."

"Couldn't you have stalled them, Christina?" I say. "We were having an important conversation."

"Didn't look like a conversation to me," she says in a singsong voice. "Looked like you were making out. Don't get me wrong, I'm extremely happy for the both of you but we have a lot of important things to go over tonight.

"Were you listening to our conversation?" I ask, appalled.

"No, but I heard a little," she says. "People are waiting, Tris, Four. I didn't mean to eavesdrop."

"You're in trouble, Christina Misner. I may have to find a new best friend," I say. I point toward the well-lit windows and say, "Go! I'll yell at you later. _We_ aren't finished here."

"Fine. I'll stall everyone but hurry up okay," she says as she walks away.

"Where were we?" I ask, pulling his mouth back to mine. I kiss him slowly, thoroughly. His hands roam over me, and I don't flinch or tense. My heart rate increases dramatically but it isn't from fear or anxiety, which is a good thing.

"We better get inside before Christina sends out a search party," he breathlessly says, kissing my neck. "We don't want your parent's interrupting us next. I'd never be able to look either one of them in the eyes ever again." Thinking about this possibility makes me giggle. "You find that funny, huh?"

"A little bit," I say with a chuckle, "but you're right. We need to get inside so we can get this night over. I'm sorry I got angry. In my defense, it was partially hormones."

"I'm sorry I doubted your happiness," he says running the back of his hand down my face. "I'm thrilled that you are as happy as you are right now. You are as happy as I am. I'll never doubt you again." We get up and walk hand-in-hand to the ornate glass door of the Crystal Gardens. "You ready?"

"I am," I say. He leans over and kisses my cheek then opens the door for me, and I walk straight into a fairytale.

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><p><strong>AN: I wanted to let you all know that I'm going to change my uploading schedule. I am now going to upload every other day. So this week I will upload on Saturday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday and next week the day's will be Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday. Even though it only gives one more chapter in a two week period, it eliminates the waiting from Saturday to Tuesday. I doubt I will ever get far enough ahead to upload any more than this on this story. **

**I wanted to address Tyler's visits with his mother. I might not have written those two scenes very well but basically he doesn't recognize her, and I didn't know how else to write it. Tyler is inspired by my 2-year-old nephew, and the little monster (who I love more than almost anything) can tell you something word-for-word 5 times and you still have _no idea_ what he's saying. So I'm trying to make Tyler as believable as possible. It's one of the reason's Tyler pronounces his R's as W's. He pronounces his L's that way!**

**I would like to thank every one for the kind reviews. They really make my day. Thank you to all who read my story and enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it! I would also like to answer a question posed to me by a guest. There is A LOT more left to this story - possibly another sequel if this one reaches a natural conclusion and other storylines that are floating around in my head haven't been introduced yet. So don't fear. Unless something drastic happens, like I lose interest in Divergent (I just don't see that happening _anytime_ soon) this should go on at least 40-50 more chapters.**

**-Moonshine**


	31. Chapter 31

**A/N: A guest asked if there will be a semipublic love scene in this story. I'm not sure. I do have a couple ideas but it has to work naturally into the story for me to put it in. Thanks for the question! I hope everyone enjoys this next chapter. There is only a couple chapters left before the actual wedding! **

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><p>This is the first time in my life I've stepped into this building, and it takes my breath away. I don't know what it looked like in its prime but it's absolutely beautiful now. The six-story tall atrium is the typical glass and metal style of the new buildings in the city but you can tell that it's looked like this for centuries. Approximately 25 years ago or so, the city made the decision to reinforce the falling down building and restore it to its former beauty so it could be used for events like ours but coming from Abnegation, I've never had cause to see it before now. Above us is a giant arched ceiling with what looks like thousands of hanging twinkle lights. In front of us are hundreds of live plants and trees in various-sized concrete planters. Just then a stream of water jumps from one fountain to another, and it startles me.<p>

"What is that?" I say as the water jumps again but from the new fountain to yet another one.

"You just experienced the leapfrog fountains according to a sign over there," Christina says. "Isn't this place awesome? There's room for up to 1,500 guests. The rotating Amity workers who live in an apartment in the back take care of all the plants. They also set the room up for events. Since we have a small party they set up one large table for us. Everyone is waiting on the dance floor for you two. It's this way." She leads us through a maze of live, lush plants and trees wrapped with even more twinkle lights. This place is magical. When we come into view, everyone gives us their hellos. My parents approach us and hug us both tightly.

"Hi, Mom, Dad," I say to them then I add to everyone else, "I am so sorry we're late."

"You were outside making out or you wouldn't have been late," Christina says.

"Christina!" Tobias and I say at the exact same time. I feel a blush color my entire face. My mom has a sweet look on her face, and my dad shakes his head.

"They are in love and getting married tomorrow. Give them a break," Shauna says. I really love her sometimes.

"I was just giving the reason why they're late," she says with a pout. "Okay, we need to get this walk through going. Mrs. Prior you will be seated in the front row in the left hand aisle by Caleb tomorrow during the ceremony. Tonight you can sit here and watch." My mom goes over to the oblong table and sits down in the white folding chair Christina pulls out and turns around for her. "The officiant will stand right here." She puts her hands on Jonah's shoulders and puts him into position. "Four, Zeke, Will, over here." Tobias kisses my cheek, drops my hand, and walks to her side. She makes him stand on the right side of Jonah. Christina positions him just the way she wants him then has Zeke and Will stand on his right. "Okay, Tris, you, your dad, Shauna, and I will be back in the tent. Shauna will walk first then me then, Mr. Prior, you will lead Tris down the aisle and when you reach the alter, you will hug Tris and then Four. After you have given her away, you will sit next to Mrs. Prior in the front row." She pulls her phone out of her pocket and starts the wedding music we picked out. It's not the traditional wedding march but a sappy, romantic piano tune that we thought would work well for the occasion. She has Shauna walk at a measured pace a certain distance and stand in a prearranged spot. Then Christina walks and stands where she will stand tomorrow. When the music swells Christina yells, "Now," and I put my arm through Dad's and he leads me at a pace I find to be a bit slow down the aisle toward Tobias. When we reach him, Christina reminds Dad to hug me and Four, which he does then he goes and stands behind Mom and puts his hands on her shoulders. Just before I turn my attention back to the rehearsal, I see Mom pat one of his hands lovingly with hers. "Jonah, I'll let you go over the ceremony."

"Thank you, Christina," he says. "Four, Tris. I've been told you want the basic wedding ceremony. Is that correct?"

"Yes," we say at the same time and then we grin at each other.

"Are you preparing wedding vows?" he asks. Tobias and I look at each other, and I motion to him so he can speak for both of us.

"No," he says. Tobias and I talked about this, and it didn't surprise me that he didn't want to get all romantic and mushy in front of our guests but I think he was a bit shocked that I didn't argue with him. I don't need the whole world to hear that I can't live without him, I just want everyone to hear me say I do. "We are both going to use these vows." He pulls a small sheet of paper out of his pocket and hands it to Jonah. He skims over them.

"It's very simple then," Jonah says. "I will have each of you repeat these vows. You can use note card if needed." We both nod. Tobias might need to do that but I've had them memorized for weeks. "I will ask you each if you take the other. You will say your I do's. Four, you will kiss your bride." I beam and blush slightly being called a bride. "Then I will introduce you to your guests as Mr. and Mrs. ... Will I be using your given name, Four?" This is something we haven't talked about. We talked about what my name would be after we get married but this never even came into my mind. I for one would love to marry _Tobias_ instead of Four but I see a bit of panic in his eyes. I doubt he will want to do that.

"Jonah, we'll make sure you have our decision before the ceremony tomorrow," I say.

"Okay, after he introduces you as husband and wife, Four, you will lead Tris back down the aisle and into the wedding preparation tent. Zeke and I will soon follow after you two, then Will and Shauna. Caleb and James will release each of the rows of guests, and they will be moved into the reception tent. Once all your guests are seated, we – the wedding party – will go into the reception tent. Supper will be served. After some mingling, you will cut the cake. After cake's been served, dancing will commence. Then at 2:00 a.m., Four?" He nods at Christina. "Then at 2:00 a.m. you will leave for your honeymoon." At the mention of the honeymoon, Tobias squeezes my hand, and I look up into his dazzling eyes and smile. "Does anyone have any questions?"

"Yeah, when do we eat? I'm starved," says Zeke and everyone laughs at him.

"Well if no one has any _serious_ questions we can start supper. Everyone have a seat," Christina says. Tobias puts his arm around my shoulders and leads me to the table. It's just now that I notice it is decorated in the colors I chose for the wedding: Black, white, and hints of red. The table, chairs, and tablecloth are bright white. There are black taper candles in black holders running down the center of the long rectangular table at about three-foot intervals. There are crystal bowls filled with water that have floating red and white roses in them between the candle holders. The place settings consist of winter white china, polished silver, and crystal stemware on black placemats with black napkins. Everything is absolutely beautiful. It is understated just the way I like it. Christina knows me so well.

Tobias and I sit down with Zeke, Shauna, Will, Christina, Mom, Dad, and Jonah at the table for an intimate supper. Two men and a woman I recognize from the cafeteria in Dauntless come through the maze of plants carrying trays of food. We are served tomato basil soup, Caesar salad with freshly grated parmesan cheese and toasty buttery croutons, prime rib with horseradish sauce, grilled baby red potatoes in garlic and olive oil, baby carrots in a brown sugar glaze, and chocolate and white Dauntless cake for dessert. The meal is delectable, and the easy conversation smoothly flows just like the many bottles of chilled sparkling cider. I see my dad and Jonah's eyes nearly bug out at the perceived indulgence but I tell them to enjoy the festivities, they aren't being selfish, and they seem to calm down some. I notice Mom savoring each and every bite she takes. She even closes her eyes and sighs when she takes a bite of chocolate cake.

"I've missed Dauntless cake," she says. "I might have to abstain tomorrow, or I won't be able to stop. You'll have to sneak me slices of cake to Abnegation, Beatrice."

"I forgot you were Dauntless, Mrs. Prior," Shauna says.

"Oh please call me Natalie, Shauna is it?" Mom says.

"Oh my! I haven't made formal introductions," I say, jumping up from my seat and nearly knocking my chair over. "Where are my manners?" I walk around the table and stand behind my parents. "Everyone, I would like to introduce Andrew and Natalie Prior. Mom, Dad, these are our good friends, Zeke and his girlfriend Shauna. I'm sure you remember Christina and Will. Everyone, this is Jonah Thomson, he's a friend of my parents and a member of the council and obviously will be performing the wedding ceremony tomorrow. I'm sorry I didn't introduce you all earlier. My mind has been on other things but that's no excuse."

"It's alright, Tris," Shauna says. "I's not like you're getting married tomorrow or anything."

"I introduced everyone earlier, by the way," Christina says as she puts a bite of cake in her mouth. Of course she did. She's on top of every last detail.

"Thanks, Christina," I say. "No, _really_. I need to thank you for all you've done for me. Without you, this wedding wouldn't have come together as quickly as it did, and it wouldn't be nearly as glamorous as I know it's going to be." She furrows her eyebrows at me, thinking I somehow know what the spaces look like before time. Tobias gets up from where he's sitting and stands beside me. "I promise I haven't peeked in the tent. I just know what it's going to look like because I know you. This is for my thanks." I slide the small box Tobias just handed me across the table to her. She picks up the black velvet square and flips the lid open. Laying nestled in the black silk lining is a white gold necklace with an angel charm holding a small heart-shaped diamond in its tiny hands. "You are my best friend and an absolute angel. Thank you for all you do." She gets up from where she's sitting, and we meet half way for an embrace.

"Thank you, Tris," she says. "I love it but you didn't have to do this."

"You're right, I didn't have to," I say. "I _wanted_ to." She hugs me again and whispers thank you repeatedly in my ear.

"I have a little something for you guys," Tobias says handing an oblong box to Zeke and Will. They open the boxes to find simple matching watches with black leather bands and white gold watch faces.

"Wow! Thanks, Four!" Will says reaching out and shaking Tobias' hand.

"Come here, brother," Zeke says. He pulls Tobias in for a quick manly hug. "Thank you." I put two more boxes down, one in front of Christina and one in front of Shauna.

"Seriously, Tris?" Christina says. They open their bridesmaids' gifts and gasp. I got them matching 1 carat diamond earring and pendant necklace in a white gold setting.

"They're for tomorrow," I say. "I want to thank you both for standing up with me and for your unconditional friendship. I love you both."

"Thank you, Tris," Shauna says giving me a big hug. "I love you, too." When she releases me, Christina grabs ahold of me again.

"Thanks, Tris," she says. "You are one of a kind. I love you, too."

"Zeke, can I have a word with you in private?" I ask. Tobias furrows his eyebrows at me but doesn't say anything.

"Sure," he says. We walk away from my guest and stand next to one of the leapfrog fountains.

"I never thanked you for helping me that night in the training room," I say. He starts to interrupt me but I stop him by putting my finger over his lips. "You need to let me finish. That day was one of the worst days of my life. If it weren't for you, it would have been even worse. I've wanted to ask you something for a while. Did you _hear_ me? Is that how you found us?"

"I just happened to be coming to the training room for a workout," he softly says. I'm sure this isn't easy to talk about for him either. "When I opened the door I heard you screaming 'NO' at the top of your lungs. When I saw what he was doing I ... snapped. I actually thought I had _killed_ him. I was astonished when I sent Will to get him that he had already taken off. I'm just thankful I was there and he didn't get any farther. I wish I could have found you both earlier so you didn't have to go through what you did. You seem to be getting better."

"I am," I say with a warm smile. "Not totally healed. I may never be the way I was before that day but I decided not to let him change me any more than he already has."

"Good for you," he says. "You are one of the strongest people I know, and I need to thank _you_."

"For what?" I say looking at him totally confused. What could he have to thank _me_ for?

"Loving Four," he says. "He's become a totally different person since you came into his life. You make him incredibly happy. There was a time I worried constantly about my friend. I fixed him up with girl after girl trying to get him to come out of his shell. The day you jumped into Dauntless he saw something in you that drew him to you. I have to tell you we teased him mercilessly about you. He didn't want to admit he had feelings for you because you were his initiate but he finally came clean to Shauna. Did you know that they were better friends than he and I are at one time. I was thankful when I heard you talking to her the night Uri brought you ziplining. At first I thought you were with my kid brother because you liked him but then I heard you talk about Four and I knew."

"Was I that obvious?" I say. "I tried so hard to hide it."

"Not openly, no," he says. "You just ... lit up ... when you spoke about him, exactly the way he did and still does whenever he looks at you or talks about you. So _thank you_ for loving him and making him a better man." I hug Tobias' best friend ... my friend tightly.

"Thank you for that, Zeke," I whisper, emotion thick in my voice. "You don't know how much that means to me." We walk back to the small crowd of people. I go up to Tobias and take his hand in mine. He leans down and kisses me tenderly.

"Is everything okay?" he asks. I rest my head against his shoulder and look up at him. I notice the twinkling lights dancing in his sparkling blue eyes.

"Everything is absolutely perfect," I say. He smiles as he lowers his mouth back to mine. I cup the side of his face with my free hand and get lost in his soft lips until I hear someone clear their throat. My face immediately floods with blood seeing my parents standing in front of us.

"I believe _you_, my girl, are going to be the very definition of a blushing bride," my mom says, making me blush even deeper. "Your father and I are going home, and we wanted to say our goodbyes."

"How are you getting home? The buses have stopped running for the night," I say.

"We're going to walk home with Jonah," Dad says. "It's a lovely night."

"No way," I say, shaking my head. "Four and I will drive you home."

"Oh, no you don't!" Christina says. "_You_ are not leaving here with Four tonight. I'll have you locked inside this building if you try to leave." I sigh loudly.

"Fine. Four, would you kindly drive my parents and Jonah home?" I ask

"Of course, love," he says, kissing my cheek.

"Thank you so much," I say, pulling him down for a hug. I get my mouth right up against his ear and say, "Meet me in the chasm at midnight." When he pulls away he has a slight smile and nods his head once at me.

"Mom, Dad, thank you for being here tonight," I say. "It means the world to me ... to us that you are able to share in our special day. I love you both so much." I hug my parents both in my arms. "Take care of them for me, Four. I'll see you later." I wink conspiratorially at him. "I love you. Be careful." I watch Tobias, Mom, Dad, and Jonah walk out the door and a pout crosses my lips.

"Oh, cheer up, Tris," Christina says. "This time tomorrow you two will be married. We'll have fun tonight, I promise. We've never had a sleepover before."

"Christina, I've never had a sleepover in my life," I say with an exaggerated sigh. "Abnegation, remember." I point at myself, and she shakes her head.

"So tonight will be your first," she says. "Will, Zeke, and Shauna are catching a train back to Dauntless. Can you drive us home?"

"Sure," I say. I hug Will, Zeke, and Shauna then Christina and I walk to the car. We keep the conversation light. She tells me about new clothing styles she brought into the boutique. She tells me that she's already planning the early stages of the Dauntless Welcome Party that won't happen for months. We also talk about how excited we are for our babies to be born. She's seven months along and already counting down the weeks until her son is here. I tell her how nervous I am about the adoption. I tell her all my fears and reservations. She comforts me and tells me I'm going to be a good mother. I assure her that she is also. I pull into the underground garage and park. We walk to her apartment, and I'm surprised to see an overnight bag on her couch.

"Four brought it over earlier," she says.

"That was nice of him," I say, picking up the bag. "I'm going to get ready for bed. I need to get a good night's sleep. I can't be sleeping through the wedding tomorrow." I go into her bathroom and change out of my dress and into the long sleep pants and t-shirt Tobias packed for me. I glance at the clock and see I need to leave here in about an hour to meet him in the chasm. I come out of the bathroom ready for bed and it surprises Christina.

"You really do want to go to bed don't you," she says. "This isn't my idea of great sleepover, Tris."

"What did you want to do?" I ask afraid I might have to cancel my midnight meeting with Tobias.

"I don't know," she says plopping down on the sofa next to me. "I've never had a sleepover before either." Now I feel guilty for wanting to ditch her and spend more time with Tobias but not bad enough to cancel on him.

"I tell you what, we will have an all-night sleepover after my honeymoon and before the baby is born. We'll have a great time but tonight we need some sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a long day for both of us."

"You're right," she says giving me a hug. "Tomorrow's going to be huge. Have a good night."

"Thanks, Christina," I say. I get up and go into her small guest bedroom and lie down on the twin bed and stare at the clock counting down the minutes until I'm in Tobias' arms. At 11:30 p.m., I peek my head into the living room and find it dark. I sneak over to my apartment, drop off my dress, and then practically run all the way to the chasm. Tobias isn't there so I sit on the rocks waiting for him, reminiscing about every minute I've known him.

"Do you remember the first time you brought me here?" I ask.

"How did you know I was here?" he says, sitting down beside me on the rocks.

"I could feel you," I say, leaning into him and placing my lips on his. I kiss him passionately until I can no longer breathe. "It's going to be a long night."

"I told you that I liked you," he says and I look at him totally confused. "Our first time ... here." There's seduction, love, friendship, and lust mingling in his sparkling blue eyes. "I kissed you for the first time and second and third." I smile brightly and move to straddle his lap. I melt into him as his mouth meets mine. He kisses me fiercely as he knots both of his hands in my hair. I cling to him wanting to be closer still. I move my hands down his back and lift his shirt slowly up his back. "Tris, love. We aren't making love tonight." I groan then frown at him. He pulls his mouth from mine, puts his forehead on mine, and stares into my eyes. "I am _so_ in love with you. You know I want you, I can't hide it." I believe him. I can feel the hard bulge in his jeans beneath me. "But I want to make love to my _wife_. I want us to have a fresh start. Are you okay with that?" It isn't very often he denies me what I'm wanting. Actually this is the _first_ time.

"I love you, Tobias Eaton. Of course I'm okay with waiting. More than okay actually. It's only one more day," I say. "You know this time tomorrow you'll be my husband. I can't wait. That's why I wanted to come down here tonight. A lot of our special moments happened here."

"Can I ask you to do something for me?" he asks with a pained expression.

"Anything," I say.

"Can you get off my lap?" he says.

"Oh, God!" I say, moving off his lap. Embarrassment moves through me, and I blush crimson. I can't quite bring myself to meet his eyes. Instead I sit next to him and lean my head against his shoulder. He puts his arm around my shoulder and kisses the top of my head.

"Don't be embarrassed, love," he says.

"I'm not," I say even though it's not entirely true. "Let's watch the water for a while then we'll have to go our separate ways. I don't want to. I want to go home with you but Christina's head would explode if she woke up and found me gone." We laugh together. "Just hold me for a little while longer." We sit on the cold, damp rocks watching the water rush by. He has his arms wrapped around me pulling me so close to him.

"We better go," he whispers in my ear after about an hour of sitting here. "We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow." I shift myself so I'm looking into his eyes. We stare at each other. "I love you. I can't wait to marry you tomorrow, make you mine. You are making me the happiest man in the world. I hope you know that. I can't wait to call you my wife." He runs his fingertips lightly down my cheek. "And I think we should use my full name tomorrow. Is that okay with you?"

"Are you sure, Tobias?" I ask. "That's an awfully big step."

"So is pledging my love and my life to another person," he says. "I want to do that at _Tobias_, not Four." I lunge at him, knocking him off balance, and lie on top of him. I kiss him hard, and he kisses me with the same vigor.

"Thank you," I whisper with tears in my eyes. "I think that is the best wedding present you could have given me. I wanted to marry you, _Tobias_, not Four but I didn't know how to ask. I didn't know if it was _right_ to ask." He kisses me again then groans. If we don't stop now, we won't be able to. I manage to get myself to my feet and help him up. We slowly walk hand-in-hand back to the hallway between our apartment and Will and Christina's. He puts both hands on my face and lowers his mouth to mine. Just as his lips gently touch mine, the door next to us opens.

"I should have known better than to try to keep you two apart," Christina says with a sour look on her face and her arms crossed over her chest. I can tell she's pissed.

"Sorry," we say at the same time.

"Leave them alone, Christina," Will says very sternly. "It's _their_ wedding. They should get to do what _they_ want to do."

"I _want_ to stay here tonight," I say surprising both Will and Christina. "Four and I had some important things to discuss. I'm sorry I snuck away and didn't just tell you the truth but you seemed dead set against me seeing him."

"My fault," she says. "I'll see you in the morning." It's going to take a lot of apologizing to get her to forgive me. I look at Tobias and kiss him again.

"I love you, Tobias," I say.

"I love you, Tris," he says. "I can't wait to see my blushing bride tomorrow. Sweet dreams." He kisses my forehead and turns and goes into our apartment. I return to my single bed and toss and turn until I finally fall asleep thinking about all my dreams coming true tomorrow.


	32. Chapter 32

The full body massage I'm getting is relaxing me just the way it is intended to. I woke early this morning after tossing and turning most of the night in Will and Christina's comfortable but small twin-sized guest bed. Luckily, the night wasn't plagued with bad dreams but I found it so hard to sleep without Tobias' comforting embrace surrounding me. Every time I woke up I reminded myself that it was just for one night and that from now on I would fall asleep in the strong, loving arms of my _husband_.

Christina is still mad at me for sneaking out of her apartment last night to go see Tobias. I've tried apologizing many times but she keeps rebuffing me. Even though we are lying on side-by-side massage tables, we might as well be hundreds of miles apart. When the spa employee finishes our massages, she moves us to the nail area of the salon and sits us down. Christina picks out a red shade for both of us, and the woman preps our feet for a pedicure. I decide to try to apologize again.

"I'm sorry, Christina," I say, needing her to forgive me. "I shouldn't have lied to you. That was wrong of me. I should have just told you I needed to see him last night. It wasn't fair of me."

"Were you lying when you said we could have a sleepover after your honeymoon, too?" she asks, looking at me out of the corner of her eyes.

"No, I wasn't," I say being transparently honest. "I meant that wholeheartedly. I'll need a ... night off so to speak before the baby comes along."

"Yeah, you'll need a night off alright," she says with a laugh, her voice full of innuendo.

"Christina!" I say, blushing deep.

"I forgive you," she says. "I just wanted to hear you beg a little." Who is she kidding, she wanted to hear me beg _a lot. _

"Sometimes you suck," I say with a frown and she bursts out laughing. I love the sound of her laugh. It means that her good mood has finally returned. This would have been a really long day otherwise.

"I really do love you, Tris," she says with a chuckle. "Alicia, I'm going to have to take this color with me so I can do Shauna's nails before the wedding. I'll bring it back tomorrow."

"That's fine, Christina," she says. "Take whatever you need. Congratulations, Tris. We are all very happy for you and Four."

"Thanks, Alicia," I say. "Four and I appreciate it." She smiles nicely at me as she very carefully paints my toenails after exfoliating and massaging my feet. Earlier I had a thorough waxing that I really didn't want but it had been a while so I was starting to get some stubble, and I do like the perfect smooth feeling of the end result. It's just the stinging, ripping pain that I hate in the moment. I also had a coconut oil body wrap before the massage, and Alicia put some hair extensions in making my hair so that my wedding hairstyle can be longer. Now that Christina has forgiven me, I'm feeling the effects of my early morning and the massage, and my bones feel like jelly. I relax back into the mani/pedi chair and let Alicia work on my feet. When she finishes my toes, she moves on to Christina. I doze while she works on her toes and then her fingers.

"Tris, I need you to sit forward with your fingers spread out," Alicia says, waking me from a refreshing 10 minute nap.

"Sure," I say, sitting forward and putting my hands where and how she wants them. She replaces my fake nails that I've had since shortly after my accident. She examines the fingers, cleans the beds, and replaces the missing nails. She then shapes all of them, paints the nails the same red color as my toes, and dries them in the hand dryer. When she's done, I examine her work. "Very nice. Thank you. What's next, Christina?"

"Lunch," she says. I look at the clock and notice it's almost 2:00 in the afternoon. This morning has flown by. "Alicia, will you call the cafeteria and let them know we are ready for their delivery. There's a table set up in the back room. You can send them in when they get here." We walk to the back of the salon and into a dimly lit room that has a small table with a large bouquet of red roses and baby's breath. I see a card with my name on it sticking out of the flowers. I look over my shoulder, and Christina shrugs her shoulders at me. I sit down on one of the small fancy wrought iron chairs at the table, which is set for two and pick up the card.

VI

When I saw these, I thought of you. I can't wait until I can call you my wife. I love you with all my heart and soul. I'll see you soon.

IV

I pull the flowers to me and draw the scent into my lungs and smile at my gift. Christina puts a large black velvet box in front of me, and I frown at her.

"What's this?" I ask.

"It's the gift from Four," she says.

"I thought the flowers were the gift. He's never given me flowers before," I say.

"All I know is he asked me to give this to you after you read the card," she says. I flip the large lid up, and the beauty before me takes my breath away. I hear Christina gasp behind me. It's obvious she didn't peek at my present before giving it to me. Inside the box, laying on the black silk lining is a stunning white gold and black diamond infinity pendant necklace, matching pendant earrings, and infinity band bracelet that are identical to my engagement and wedding rings. Tears come to my eyes. He is too good to me.

"God, I love him," I say. "I wasn't expecting _another_ wedding present."

"He's given you more than one?" she says, jealousy clear in her voice. "Will doesn't give me jewelry. I don't know why. I've hinted."

"I'm sorry," I say. "Jewelry wasn't even the best gift."

"What was?" she says sounding curious. I look around to make sure we are absolutely alone.

"We're using his name at the ceremony," I say. "His _whole_ name. I get to marry Tobias instead of Four. That was his most romantic gesture. Even though I love the jewelry, I love that 100 times more."

"Wow," she says with happiness and slight shock in her voice. "That's huge. He really loves you. You are _very_ lucky."

"You're still worried that Will hasn't asked you to marry him yet, aren't you?" I say. A sad look comes over her face.

"I don't want to bring you down on your big day," she says with a sigh.

"If you're not happy, _I'm_ not happy," I say. "Talk to me, Christina. You made me talk to you about that day and it helped. Did you even talk to him about what you want?"

"I couldn't bring myself to do it?" she says. A knock on the door frame interrupts us, and the same woman who helped serve dinner last night enters the room through the curtain and brings in a basket full of food.

"You can put it on the table," Christina instructs. "Thank you." The girl sits the basket down and quietly turns and leaves us alone. She reminds me more of a quiet, reserved Abnegation member instead of a hell raiser Dauntless. I move the flowers to the side while she empties the basket full of goodies.

"Grilled chicken salad with lettuce and tomato on a croissant; baked sweet potato with butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar; grapes, melon, and walnuts with honey and yogurt; and sparkling grape juice," Christina says.

"Wow! Everything looks so good," I say. "Why haven't you talked to Will? What are you scared of?" She stops mid bite and stares at me.

"I'm scared of losing him, Tris," she quietly says after a moment. "I don't want to push him into doing something he's not ready to do. I love him too much to risk him walking away."

"You think he would leave you for bringing up the fact that you want to get married?" I say.

"I don't know but I worry about it," she says.

"You don't think you deserve him," I say and she blushes. "I know that feeling. I still have problems believing Four _wants_ me, _loves_ me. I know he does. I just find it maddening at times."

"Will isn't as open with me as I would like him to be," she says. "Sometimes it's like pulling teeth to get what he's feeling out of him."

"I know exactly what you're talking about," I say. "It took a while but I finally learned that Four shares _only_ when he's ready. It doesn't do me any good to pry."

"Men!" she says, effectively ending our conversation. I can tell she doesn't want to talk about it anymore, and I don't want to upset her. We finish up the light lunch she ordered, and she takes the basket back to the cafeteria while I change out of the short silky robe and into a pair of yoga pants and a comfy t-shirt. I wish I could just wear this tonight. I patiently wait in the small back room of the salon for Christina to return because I know we have to be leaving soon for the Navy Pier.

"You ready?" she asks when she walks into the room.

"I am," I say.

"What's Four been doing all morning? He doesn't have a lot to do today to get ready," she asks as we walk up the path to the garage. She's holding a couple bags we need for tonight, and I have the garment bag that holds my perfectly tailored wedding dress draped over my arm.

"He spent the morning with Tyler," I say. Several people pass by us and offer me their congratulations. I tell them thanks then turn my attention back to Christina. "I imagine he took him to the park if Tyler had anything to say about it. I swear that child would live there if he could. Then he's taking him to get ready with the guys. Are they getting ready at your place? I forget."

"Yeah. I left the tuxes there. Wait until you see Tyler in his," she says. "He is so stinking cute it isn't even funny."

"Can you keep a secret?" I ask after we put the bags in the trunk of the car and my wedding dress flat in the backseat. "The social worker has been talking to us about adopting Tyler."

"What?" she says full of surprise. "How long has this been going on?"

"She's mentioned it twice but it isn't a done deal," I say. "She's even talked to Evelyn about it. I probably shouldn't have said anything yet."

"How did Evelyn react?" she says.

"Better than I thought to tell you the truth but I wasn't there, only Four, Evelyn, and the social worker," I say. "I had taken Tyler to the car because he was causing a scene. He's having a hard time reconnecting with her. He actually doesn't want anything to do with her. It's confusing to me and Four. We both thought he would be excited to see his mother but he acts like he doesn't know who she is."

"That's strange," she says. "Is adopting him something you would want, especially with two babies already on the way."

"More than anything," I say. "I _want_ to be his mother, and I could be wrong about this, but I think _he_ wants me to be his mother."

"And if it doesn't happen?" she asks. Pain rips through my chest.

"Then I'll grieve," I say looking at her briefly. I turn my full attention to driving. I don't want to have an accident on my wedding day. "Tell me what we have left to do. Distract me please. It's hard thinking about losing Tyler."

"I'll set your hair, and while I'm waiting for it to dry, I'll work on Shauna."

"I didn't ask why she wasn't with us this morning," I say. "You did ask her, right? I guess I never thought about it. The longer I'm away from Abnegation, the more selfish I become."

"Tris, it's your _wedding_ day. This is the _one_ day in your life you are supposed to be selfish. Plus you are Dauntless now, not Abnegation," she says. "And of course I asked her to join us but she had to work this morning. She _wanted_ to come with us but the guards are stretched very thin looking for Peter." At the mention of his name, I visibly tense up. "Sorry. I shouldn't have mentioned him, especially today."

"It's okay," I say, willing my racing heart to calm. "Hopefully one day the mention of his name won't set off _any_ reaction in me."

"I wish we never would have met him," she says. I nod in agreement.

"So after you work your magic on Shauna, then what?" I ask, turning the subject back to the wedding.

"After I get Shauna ready, I'll get ready. Then, we will get you 100% ready. The wedding will start at 7:00 p.m. Sunset is at approximately 7:21 p.m. Hopefully, if the pace of the ceremony works as I planned, then you and Four should be pronounced husband and wife as the sun is going down."

"You, my friend, are absolutely amazing. I'm so lucky that I met you," I say as we pull into the parking lot across from the Navy Pier. I unbuckle my seatbelt, lean across the seat, and give her a big hug. "Thank you for everything. Thank you for planning my wedding. Not many best friends would do that. I wasn't exaggerating last night when I called you an angel."

"Stop it. You're going to make me cry, and we have too much to do today for that," she says wiping her eyes. We get out of the car and unpack it. "You're going to hate this but I don't want you seeing _anything_ until you walk down the aisle." She takes a black blindfold out of her pocket. I furrow my eyebrows at her.

"Why do you have a blindfold?" I ask. She smiles coyly.

"Are you sure you want to know the answer to that question?" she says.

"Forget I asked," I say, shaking my head. She laughs and puts the blindfold over my eyes making my world go black. She carefully leads me along the pier walkway and after a few minutes we enter a tent. "Can I take this off now?"

"Sure," she says. "But look outside this tent and I'll hurt you, got it? I've got to go get the rest of the items out of the car."

"Promise," I say, crossing my heart as I pull the blindfold off. I gasp. How does she do it? She has this tent set up like a mini salon. Theirs is the largest throw rug I've ever seen on the ground covering the green grass. On one side of the tent is a sink with an attached portable tank of water. There's a very large mirror attached to it and a salon chair in front of it. In one corner is a full length black framed mirror. In the opposite corner is a red and black velvet couch and loveseat. On a low black table in front of the grouping is a tray full of cheese, crackers, and grapes. On a buffet style table next to the couch is a pot of coffee and a couple bottles of chilled sparkling cider. Christina walks into the tent and hangs up my dress in the wardrobe that is standing next to the standup mirror.

"How?" I ask. She looks at me and is suddenly confused. I hold out my hand gesturing to the makeshift room.

"Oh!" she says. "I have connections. It's amazing what Dauntless members will let you borrow when you drop you and your fiancé's name. Will you put this on?" She hands me a black silk salon robe. "You can put those clothes in the wardrobe. I'll make sure they get home. It will be easier to do your hair and get you into your dress if you aren't wearing that t-shirt." I go over to the wardrobe and change out of my comfortable outfit and into the revealing garment. I put my clothes where Christina tells me to then sit in front of the sink, and she washes my hair with my favorite coconut scented shampoo. She then puts a deep conditioner in my hair. While she's waiting for the timer to go off, she starts unpacking the bags into the wardrobe. I see lingerie, shoes, jewelry. When the timer goes off, she thoroughly rinses out the conditioner then she wraps my hair around the curlers and secures them to my head. Just as she finishes, Shauna walks into the tent. She looks around with wide eyes as she takes in every detail.

"When I get married, you are going to be my wedding planner, Christina," she says matter-of-factly. "You probably could make a career out of it if you wanted to. People are going to be talking about this for years. It looks great out there."

"No talking about what you've seen," Christina says. "Tris is not to know _anything_ until it's time, and when you get married, I would love to plan it for you. I'd be honored. Will you change into a robe? I need to make sure everything is coming together smoothly. I'll be right back." She walks out of the tent as I get up from the salon chair. I'm feeling a bit keyed up so I pour myself a cup of coffee in hopes of calming myself down.

"How are you doing, Tris?" she asks. "You are awfully quiet."

"I'm starting to really get nervous, Shauna," I say. "It's hard to think that this time tomorrow all this will be just a sweet memory."

"Four asked me to tell you that he loves you," she says as she slips her robe on. At the mention of Tobias, I beam and she smiles at me.

"Shauna, can I ask you something?" I say. She nods at me. "Do you know Four's real name?" She looks at me oddly.

"As a matter of fact, I do," she says. "I don't know if you know this or not but we were in the same initiation class. I know who he is and where he came from. I've just always respected his privacy and need to separate himself from his former self. Why?"

"We're using his name during the ceremony tonight," I say.

"Wow!" she says. I imagine that's going to be the general consensus when he reveals his true identity. "What made him decide to do that, if you don't mind me asking?"

"He wanted to get married as Tobias, not Four," I say. It's nice saying his real name in front of friends.

"I'm glad he's finally opening up a little," she says. "It's because of you, you know that right?" I blush but nod. I know his friends think I've been good for him. "Knowing you has changed him so much and all for the better."

"Thank you, Shauna," I say. Christina comes back into the tent and has her sit at the sink. We chat about nothing in particular while Christina makes over Shauna not that she needs a makeover, she's quite pretty and put together on a daily basis. I lounge with my feet up on the couch while my hair thoroughly dries waiting for my turn to get dressed. I drink coffee after coffee trying to calm my nerves and find myself squirming around after a while.

"Um, where's the bathroom?" I ask.

"It's outside. Put the blindfold on," Christina says. I sigh but do what she says and once again my world goes black.

"Hi, Tris," two voices say simultaneously. I blush bright red being caught walking around in a short salon robe with a blindfold on. I recognize the voices but can't quite place them.

"Hello," I say.

"Congratulations," they say.

"Thanks," I mutter. Christina leads me into a building and lets me take the blindfold off. "Who was that out there?"

"I don't know their names," she says. "You call them purple hair and snake tattoo." She giggles at my nicknames for them. I knew I knew those voices. "They're helping out today."

"Where are we at?" I ask after I'm finished. "I don't remember there being a bathroom here." It's a nice public restroom with a bright white tiled floor, soft white painted walls, black stall dividers, and a dark gray concrete vanity top with dual sinks.

"It's new," she says. I furrow my eyebrows at her.

"It's new?" I ask skeptically. Why would there be a new bathroom here? "What ... did ... you ... do ... Christina?"

"Put your blindfold back on, Tris," she says with a sigh. "I'll tell you all about it back in the tent." I do as she says, and she leads me back to the makeshift salon. "When you chose this area for your wedding, I contacted your dad with a plan for a permanent outdoor wedding venue to go hand-in-hand with the refurbished Crystal Gardens. He thought it was a great idea, and the bathroom and the area where you are getting married was built. A foundation was also poured where the reception tent is setup for future outdoor events. I talked to one of the Amity workers who is in charge of the Crystal Gardens, and there have been over 50 weddings booked already. Your dad made the right decision okaying this project. You get a wonderful place for your wedding, and the city picked up the tab." I stare at her open-mouthed feeling a bit guilty that all of this was done because of _my_ wedding yet completely in awe of my best friend for think of it. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You're a genius," I say. "What made you think to go to my dad?"

"What I wanted to do for you was expensive so I thought if I could get some help with the cost, it would make your budget go father," she says. "Your dad seemed like the logical person to ask for help."

"Like I said, _genius_," I say. She takes the final roller out of Shauna's hair and combs through her hair with her fingers loosening the curls. She stands back and looks at her for a moment then proceeds to style her hair into an elegant updo. She leaves several tendrils hanging down to frame her face. She then applies makeup that enhances Shauna's natural beauty. Next Christina does her own makeup in the same style as Shauna's. She styles her short curly hair by pulling it straight back and securing it with invisible pins topped with little red flowers until it looks similar to Shauna's. She even leaves a few loose curls. I watch as they put on their matching bridesmaids dresses and 3 inch black strappy sandals adorned with diamond-like crystals, which are identical to my shoes. It looks great on both Shauna and Christina even though they have different body types. The knee length dress is black, of course, and sleeveless. It has a gathered bodice that crisscrosses over their chest and enhances their cleavage. It gently glides down the body and flares out at the hips creating a sexy swing at the bottom. When they put on their matching jewelry I got them for today, it's like adding icing to a deliciously rich cake.

"Okay, Tris," Christina says, turning to look at me. "It's your turn."


	33. Chapter 33

I take a deep, cleansing breath trying to calm my runaway nerves. In about an hour-and-a-half I'll be walking down the aisle on the arm of my father toward my future, toward Tobias. I get off the couch and sit in the chair in front of the shiny sink just vacated by Shauna. Christina skillfully unrolls each large roller then runs her fingers through my hair to loosen up the curls. As she is combing my hair back and securing it in place with pins designed to be invisible in my hair, my parents come into the tent, and I can't believe my eyes. My father is standing before me in a perfectly tailored black tuxedo with a crisp white shirt, black bowtie and cummerbund, and shiny black shoes. My mother is wearing a conservative yet elegant V-neck long-sleeved shin length gray wrap dress and gray 1-inch pumps. I've never seen my parents in anything other than the usual Abnegation frocks worn for every occasion, and they look fantastic ... more than fantastic actually. There are no words for how good they look right now.

"Beatrice, honey, breathe," my mom says. My mouth is still hanging wide open as I look them up and down. "You're making me uncomfortable." This finally makes me come to my senses.

"You two look amazing," I say with tears shimmering in my eyes. I don't know if it's the pregnancy hormones or seeing them in their unexpected attire that is causing the runaway emotions. "I've never seen you in anything other than Abnegation clothes. It's quite shocking. I wasn't expecting this."

"Christina here forced me into this," my dad says stiffly. "She wanted all the men to match exactly." This gives me an idea of what Tobias will look like. I smile warmly at my father, and he relaxes some. "We have a wedding gift for you." My mom hands me a rather large yet thin square plain white box. I can't help but sigh. My parents don't give gifts. They don't believe in them.

"You didn't have to do this," I say. "As a matter of fact, I'm not sure I can accept a gift from you." I start to hand the box back to my mom but she puts her hand up to stop me and steps toward me.

"This isn't just an ordinary wedding present, Beatrice," she says affectionately, her eyes full of love. "My mother sent this to me on my wedding day." This surprises me. "I unfortunately couldn't wear it because of the Abnegation rules but the moment I saw it, I wished for a daughter to give it to on _her_ wedding day. One day, I would like you to give it to _your_ daughter." My trembling hand lifts the lid off the simple box, and my eyes widen when I see the stunning diamond, ruby, and sterling silver hair pin in a delicate floral pattern. The rubies are grouped together resembling red roses surrounded by white diamond leaves. "In the note that accompanied the pin, my mom said it was a present from her mother on her wedding day. I've always wondered how she knew I was getting married. Thank you so much for letting me be a part of your special day. You don't have to wear it but I wanted to make sure you got it." I look over my shoulder at Christina.

"Of course, Tris. I actually think this will be a great addition. Let me have it," she says. I hand her the box holding the delicate hair jewelry. She sets it on the side of the sink and starts taking the pins out of my hair. "We can do a similar style and use the hair pin to hold it in place."

"I would appreciate it," I say to Christina then I look at my mom. "It's beautiful, Mom. Thank you for thinking of me. I love you so much. Why don't you and Dad sit down while Christina does my hair?" They agree and sit on the love seat opposite Shauna. Christina chews on her bottom lip as she combs through my hair.

"Instead of your hair going over one shoulder, how about it hangs straight down your back. I'll pull your bangs and the top of your hair back and secure it with the pin," she says.

"Sounds good to me," I say. "I'm sure whatever you do will be great." She teases all the hair on my head making me look a little bit like a poodle but I don't get anxious. I know I am in good hands with Christina. She pulls all my front hair back in loose twists and secures it with several invisible pins then fixes the elegant hairpin that hugs my head perfectly in place. She then lightly mists the back of my hair and forms each and every curl over a curling iron until they are perfect. Then she sprays a touchable hold hairspray all over my head until I'm sitting in a fog.

"That has to be enough, Christina," I say, holding my hand over my mouth, coughing. "You're choking me to death over here." She sprays a little longer any way.

"Okay, makeup next," she says. She does my makeup exactly the way I like it ... a light mineral foundation and powder that matches my skin tone perfectly, charcoal gray liner on my eyes enhancing their light bluish gray color, black mascara on my lashes making them look longer and fuller than they really are, and a very light natural-looking soft pink blush on the apple of my cheeks but instead of regular lipstick, she paints my lips with a long lasting matte lip stain in the same red shade as my nails and puts a satin gloss over it. I admire her work, and I believe I would actually accept if someone called me beautiful because _right now_, I am. "Mr. Prior, we need to get Tris into her dress. Do you mind waiting outside?"

"Not at all," he says getting up off the couch. He heads out of the tent but promises not to go far. My mom smiles at me then joins Dad outside. Christina and Shauna get my wedding dress out of its garment bag as I slip out of my robe. I quickly change into my wedding lingerie, sheer lacy white boy shorts and a matching strapless bra. My friends help me into the dress and button me into it. I carefully sit back down in the chair by the sink, and Christina slips my shoes on me. I get up and walk over to the full length mirror and stare at myself. I love my wedding dress. It is unlike anything I've ever worn before or will ever again. The soft white, floor length gown has a fitted, strapless draped bodice with a sweetheart neckline and buttons and loops on the center back down to my hips that lead to a full petaled skirt of organza and tulle that reminds me of feathers. There is a dramatic slit up the front that allows for easy walking. My shoes, which are easily seen through the slit look exactly like Christina and Shauna's, except they are in the same soft white as my dress. I turn sideways and see that my curls are hanging just past my shoulders and the hairpin my mother gave me is perfect for today. We couldn't have planned it any better. My father walks up behind me and fastens the infinity necklace Tobias gave me as a wedding gift around my neck. It is the perfect length and sits just above my cleavage.

"You are the most beautiful bride I've ever seen," Dad says with tears in his eyes as I put on the matching earrings and bracelet and my favorite piece of jewelry, my charm bracelet.

"I have to agree," Mom says from his side, emotion thick in her voice. I turn and look at both of my parents. I honestly thought that when I left Abnegation that I would lose them forever but here they are standing in front of me on one of the most important days of my life ... my wedding day.

"Thank you," I say. "I am so glad that you two were able to see that I needed to go my own way in life and forgave me for leaving Abnegation. I worried when I made that decision that I would lose my family forever but I think we're closer now than we were then. I love you two more than you will ever know." I hug my father tightly for a time fighting back the tears then take my mom in my arms and cling to her.

"It's almost time, Tris," Christina says. "Can I do anything for you or get you anything?"

"No," I say with a sigh. Christina narrows her eyes then shakes her head at me.

"If you really want to see him, I won't stop you. I'll go get him but it's bad luck for the bride to see the groom before the ceremony." Christina says with a sigh of her own. "Just remember, _you_ are the one who wanted to go the traditional route. You're even wearing _white_ instead of Dauntless black. Do you want to throw that all away when in about 10 minutes you'll walk down the aisle?"

"Of course I want to see him, Christina. I _always_ want to see him but I'll wait," I say. "You don't have to get _irate_ with me."

"Sorry! Sorry," she says, realizing she overreacted to my sigh. "I'm going to make sure everything is running smoothly. I'll be right back."

"Why don't you sit down and try to relax," Shauna says as Christina heads out of the tent. I sit down on the couch next to her, and my parents sit down on the love seat. I try some deep breathing exercises to calm me but they really aren't working.

"Twis!" I hear Tyler say. The tent opens and a black blur runs straight to me. "Twis, Twis!"

"Hey, buddy," I say, picking him up and giving him a big hug. "I sure have missed you." I put him on my lap, making sure his shoes aren't touching my dress. "You look so handsome." He has a miniature version of my Dad's tux on right down to the shiny black shoes.

"You pwitty, Twis," he says, making me smile brightly. There isn't anything quite like being told you're pretty by a 2 year old.

"Thank you, Tyler," I say, hugging him again. "Did you have fun at Zander and Stella's last night with Zane?" He smiles and nods. "What did you and Four do today?"

"Fo take me pawk," he says with a contagious bright smile. I look at my parents and Shauna, and they are wearing ones that match his. "We slide and swing. Had fun. Wish Twis wit us. What you do?" He is getting so much more verbal. I can't believe he's already talking in sentences. I love him so much.

"I spent the morning with Christina at the salon?" I say.

"Christy?" he says.

"Yeah, Christy," I say with a chuckle. He is one of two people allowed to call her that. Will, of course, is the other one. "We had massages and our nails painted. See?" I hold my hand out to him, and he looks closely at the red. He giggles and I kiss the top of his head.

"Don't you dare mess up your makeup," Christina says, coming back into the tent. "Did you say hi to Tris, Tyler?" He bobs his head up and down at her. "That's good. He wouldn't sit down until he saw you." I hear music and people talking but I can't hear what they are saying. My anxiety level starts to rise again so I wrap my arms around Tyler, and I realize he has the same calming affect Tobias has on me. Caleb comes into the tent, and our eyes meet. "Everyone take your places. Mrs. Prior, Caleb is going to seat you and Tyler."

"No!" Tyler says, sounding distressed. I turn him so I can look into his face.

"Tyler, honey. Will you please sit with Natalie and Andrew while Four and I get married? The ceremony won't last long, about 15-20 minutes. Can you do that for me, pretty please? You can sit with Four and me at supper. I promise," I say. He sticks his little bottom lip out in a pout. When he does this, I want to give him whatever it is he wants but today, I can't give into him. "Please?"

"Okay, Twis," he says hanging his head.

"Caleb," I say. "Can you come here?" He comes to me.

"You look beautiful, Sis," he says.

"Thank you, Caleb," I say. "Tyler, I want to introduce you to someone who is very important to me. This is _my_ brother, Caleb ... like Four is your brother." He shyly smiles at Caleb.

"It's nice to meet you, Tyler," Caleb says. "I've heard a lot about you."

"Hi," he shyly says.

"You are going to _slowly_ walk with Natalie and Caleb to sit down," I say. "You'll see Four out there but you must not go to him okay? You sit with Natalie. Andrew will bring me down the aisle, and then he will sit with you and Natalie, okay?"

"Okay, Twis," he says then he wraps his arms around my neck and gives me a big hug. If his grip were stronger, I wouldn't be able to breathe comfortably. "I love you."

"I love you, too," I whisper in his ear. I give him another kiss, ignoring Christina's complaints then sit him on his feet. My mom takes Tyler by the hand and is led out of the tent on Caleb's arm to sit down. I smile at them all.

"Come here, let me double check your makeup," Christina says. I do as she says, not wanting to stress her out any more than she already is. Once again you would think she is the bride and not the wedding planner. She touches up my makeup to make sure that it is perfect. She hands Shauna a small bouquet of beautiful white roses and picks one up for herself then hands me a slightly bigger one made up of stunning large red roses. "You do look beautiful. Okay, Shauna that was your cue." I see Shauna take a deep breath then the flaps of the tent move out of her way, and she walks forward. "Remember, when the swell in the music happens, that is your cue. You got that, Tris, Mr. Prior."

"I've got it, Christina," Dad says. "I'll get her there. I promise." I see her visibly relax. What, does she think I'm going to run off as soon as everyone else leaves the tent? Not a chance.

"Thanks again for everything, Christina," I say with a warm smile. "If it weren't for you, none of this would have been possible. I really do love you." She gives me a quick hug then walks to the edge of the makeshift salon. The flaps move, and she exits the tent. Dad holds his arm out to me, and I put my arm through his. He moves me to the spot just vacated by Shauna and Christina. I look up into his eyes. He has a warm smile on his face.

"I love you, Dad," I say. "Thank you again for being here. You don't know how much it means to me."

"Nothing could have kept me away from you today ... nothing at all. I know that it seemed like I wasn't happy for you and Tobias when you first announced your engagement, but that isn't entirely true," he says surprising me. "I was a concerned father wanting to make sure you knew what you were getting yourself into. Marriage is _hard_, Beatrice. Don't let anyone ever tell you it isn't but I know that you and Tobias will make it work. You two have a special kind of love that I've never witnessed before not even in your mother and myself, and I love her with all my heart. I love you, Beatrice Grace. I always have ... I always will."

He leans down and lightly kisses my cheek just as the swell in the music tells us it is time to go. The flaps of the tent open, and I look out at a simple elegance that nearly brings me to tears. Where once stood a dilapidated carnival swing ride, is an oversized beautiful white wooden trellis covered in vining greenery and red and white roses. Dad slowly leads me up a white fabric-covered aisle scattered with red rose petals through a sea of dozens of smiling faces turned looking my way. I try to meet as many of the smiling faces that I can but when I meet Tobias' eyes the beauty of the day, the make-shift wedding venue, and all of our guests fade away. The only thing left is me and him. He looks exceptionally gorgeous in his black tuxedo. The one noticeable difference between him and the others is his fitted jacket has a single red rose in the lapel, everyone else's has a white rose. His eyes slide over my entire body from head to toe making me blush then they land on my eyes again. The look on his face is so intense. Dad leads me up two steps to stand in front of my soul mate and hugs me tightly whispering that he loves me in my ear as he does. He releases me and gives Tobias a hug, saying something to him also. He then leaves us standing before one another and joins my mom in the front row.

"Welcome family and friends," Jonah says loudly for everyone to hear. I stare into Tobias penetrating gaze and give him a tentative little smile. He beams when he smiles back at me, and I immediately relax. "We have been invited here today to celebrate one of life's greatest moments, the joining of two hearts as one. In the time that Tobias and Beatrice have known each other, their love and understanding of one another has grown, and now they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife." When Jonah says Tobias, I hear a startled gasp travel through our guests. I tear my eyes away from Tobias' for a second and look out at dozens of astonished and slightly confused faces.

"Today we have come together to witness the joining of these two lives. For them, out of the routine of ordinary life, the extraordinary happened. They met, fell in love, and are committing their lives to one another today with this ceremony," Jonah says. I mouth I love you to Tobias, and he mouths it back. "Romance is fun, but true love is something far superior, and it is Tobias and Beatrice's desire to love each other for life. _That_ is what we are celebrating here today.

"Marriage is perhaps the greatest and most challenging adventure of all human relationships. No ceremony can create your marriage, only _you_ can do that – through love and patience; through commitment and perseverance; through talking and listening; through helping and supporting; through believing in each other wholeheartedly; through tenderness and laughter; through learning to forgive, learning to appreciate your differences, and by learning to make the important things matter and to let go of all the rest.

"A good marriage must be created. In marriage the _little_ things are the big things. It is never being too old to hold hands. It is remembering to say, 'I love you' _at least_ once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is standing and facing the hardships of the cruel world together. It is speaking words of appreciation and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and most importantly forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which the other can grow. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only _marrying_ the right person ... it is _being_ the right partner.

"Tobias and Beatrice, **_please take each other's hands_**," Jonah says. We reach out and grip each other's hands tightly and gaze lovingly into one another's eyes, "**_so that you may see the gift that they are to you. These are the hands of your best friend – young and strong and full of love for you – that are holding yours on your wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever. These are the hands that will work alongside yours as together you build your future. _**

**_ "_****_These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch will comfort you like no other. These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief temporarily comes to you. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes – tears of sorrow and tears of joy. _**

**_ "_****_These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children, the hands that will join your family as one. These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it, support and encouragement to pursue your dreams, and comfort through difficult times. _**

**_ "_****_And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch._** You may now recite your vows." Tobias grips my hands even tighter as he gazes intensely into my eyes.

"I, Tobias Marcus Eaton, take you, Beatrice Grace Prior, to be my friend, my lover, the mother of my children, and my wife," Tobias says with emotion thick in his voice. "I will be faithfully yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I will trust you and honor you. I will laugh with you and cry with you through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come from this unpredictable life, I will always be there for you. As I have given my hand for you to hold, so I give you my life to keep. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you, for the rest of my life. I love you with all my heart, my Beatrice Grace."

"I, Beatrice Grace Prior, take you, Tobias Marcus Eaton, to be my friend, my lover, the father of my children, and my husband," I say, repeating his words back to him as tears sparkle in my eyes. "I will be faithfully yours in times of plenty and in times of want, in times of sickness and in times of health, in times of joy and in times of sorrow, in times of failure and in times of triumph. I will trust you and honor you. I will laugh with you and cry with you through the best and the worst, through the difficult and the easy. Whatever may come from this unpredictable life, I will always be there for you. As I have given my hand for you to hold, so I give you my life to keep. I promise to cherish and respect you, to care and protect you, to comfort and encourage you, and stay with you, for the rest of my life. I love you, Tobias ... always." A single tear escapes down my cheek, and Tobias reaches to wipe it away. I hear a funny clicking noise and give a sideways glance toward it. Huh, someone is taking pictures.

"Tobias and Beatrice, I would ask that you always treat yourself and each other with the respect you deserve, and remind yourselves often of what brought you together today. Give the highest priority to the tenderness, gentleness, and kindness that your marriage deserves. When frustration and difficulty assault your marriage – as they do to every relationship at one time or another – focus on what still seems right between you, not the part that seems wrong. This way, when clouds of trouble hide the bright sun and you lose sight of it for a moment, you can remember that it's brilliance is still there. And if each of you will take responsibility for the quality of your life together, it will be marked by happiness, wealth, joy, and many, many years of love.

"Tobias, do you take Beatrice to be your loving and faithful partner? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish, and protect her, forsaking all others until death do you part?" Jonah asks.

"I do," he says loudly for all our guests to hear.

"Beatrice, do you take Tobias to be your loving and faithful partner? Do you promise to love, honor, cherish and protect him, forsaking all others until death do you part?" Jonah asks.

"I do," I say, my voice shaky but strong.

"May I have the rings please?" Jonah asks. Zeke reaches into his pants pocket and takes out my ring and hands it to Jonah. Christina unties a little ribbon on her bouquet that has Tobias' ring attached and gives it to him. He holds each ring up, my ring in his left hand and Tobias' in his right. "The ring is a symbol of the unbroken circle of love. Love freely given has no beginning and no end, no giver and no receiver for each is the giver and each is the receiver. May these rings always remind you of the vows you take here today." He hands my ring to Tobias.

"I, Tobias, give this ring to you as my gift," he says as he slips my wedding ring on my left hand and nestles it right up to my engagement ring. It's a perfect fit, just like we are. "Wear it and think of me and know that I love you more today than yesterday but not half as much as I will love you tomorrow." Jonah hands Tobias' ring to me.

"I, Beatrice, give this ring to you as my gift," I says as I slip his wedding ring on the ring finger of his left hand as a symbol of our love and commitment. "Wear it and think of me and know that I love you more today than yesterday but not half as much as I will love you tomorrow."

"To make your relationship work will take love. This is the core of your marriage and why you are here today. It will take trust to know that in your hearts you truly want what is best for the other. It will take dedication to stay open to one another and to learn and grow _together_. It will take faith to go forward together without knowing exactly what the future brings. And it will take hard work to hold true to the journey you both have pledged to today.

"By the power of the city, I now pronounce you husband and wife!" Jonah says. Christina was right. It's just before sunset, and the sky is a gorgeous gray, pink, purple, and orange hue adding to the radiance of the moment. "Tobias, you may kiss your bride!"

"I love you, Mrs. Eaton," Tobias says as he takes me in his arms and slowly lowers his mouth to mine. I wrap my arms around his neck and hold him tightly when his lips meet mine. The love I feel for him multiplies many times over, and I think my heart will swell and burst out of my chest. I didn't know it was possible to love this much. He kisses me sweetly, lovingly for a solid minute before he breaks away from me. He then kisses me again quickly before he straightens up and puts his arms around my shoulder and turns me toward our guests but I'm still looking at him. He must sense my eyes on him because he looks down at me and smiles.

"I love you, Mr. Eaton," I whisper and he places his lips on mine again for another hurried kiss.

"It is my pleasure to introduce the happy couple, Mr. and Mrs. Tobias and Beatrice Prior-Eaton," Jonah says and our guest stand and start clapping, hollering, and stomping their feet. My non-Dauntless guests look startled but Tobias and I are used to it, and we both smile radiantly.

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><p><strong>AN: It's been ages since I've been to a wedding, and I couldn't remember what words the minister says or the order of the ceremony so I looked up wedding ceremony templates online. I honestly didn't think I could do this chapter justice on my own so I took different aspects of different templates and combined them (with some of my own wording) into what you read. I found the exact same templates on multiple sights so I felt that it was okay to borrow the wording as long as I tell you I am not the original author (don't know who is). The italics/bolded section is The Hand Ceremony by anonymous. A friend of mine had it in her wedding, and I immediately fell in love with it. If I ever get married, it _will_ be in my ceremony. **

**A guest asked about links to pictures of the dresses, etc. I describe in my story (or try to - ha ha). I have tried to provide links in the past and I can't get it to work. I put the link in and when I upload the chapter it isn't there. I tried it again and I can't get it to work. So sorry. If you do a Bing search under images for black bridesmaid dress the one I'm describing is the third picture from the left on the top row. I think it's cute. I can't find Tris' wedding dress or their shoes (I looked for over an hour). I copied the pictures when I was looking for masquerade ball gowns, so you all know how long ago _that_ was!**

**I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I also have to thank everyone for all the kind reviews. You are the ones who keep me writing this story. Once in a while I get a negative review, and I feel like quitting but then 10 positive ones will show up in my email and it revitalizes me. Yep, I have low self esteem. I'm amazed that ANYONE likes this story let alone the hundreds of you who do. Well enough rambling! See you Tuesday!**

**-Moonshine **


	34. Chapter 34

**A/N: Well, I think this is the longest chapter I've ever written! I hope all of you enjoy. I took some of your advice and put a couple links to some pictures on my profile. I looked again for her wedding dress and I just can't find it. Sorry! And Lissa, I'm fine with answering questions about the story! Everyone enjoy and I'll be back on Thursday!**

* * *

><p>Tobias firmly grips my hand in his and leads me up the rose-petal-covered aisle past all our still smiling and cheering guests and into the tent I got ready in. Soon we are joined by Zeke, Christina, Will, and Shauna. They each hug us tightly and tell us what a wonderful ceremony it was. I still can't believe for all the worrying I've done these past few days that it's over already. Or maybe I should say this is just the <em>beginning<em>.

"All the guests are in the reception tent," Christina says peeking outside then she turns back to address us. "The wedding photographer wants to take a few pictures before the sun goes down completely. Come on." We all follow her outside and a familiar-looking young man with windblown blonde hair wearing a black suit with a camera around his neck approaches us.

"Tris," he says. "It's nice to see you again. You look absolutely radiant. Can I get you to stand under the arbor with Four?"

"Gunner! It's been ages," I say following him down the aisle. I see Tobias eyeing him suspiciously. I pull whisper to him, "He's the artist who drew the chasm picture."

"Oh!" Tobias says. He reaches out and shakes Gunner's hand after he places us exactly where he wants us. "You are very talented."

"Thank you," he says confidently. He has Tobias, Zeke, Christina, Will, Shauna, and me stand for several different quick photos taking advantage of the still setting sun. I look out in between poses and see several things I missed during the ceremony. There are white folding chairs set up on a lush green lawn, which is new. There used to be a rundown carnival ride and cracked and loose concrete everywhere you looked. There are red and white roses intertwined with green garland draped from chair to chair on the outside aisles. The white fabric red-rose-petal-covered aisle starts just outside the tent and ends where Tobias and I are standing under a huge white-painted wooden trellis with vining greenery and hundreds of red and white roses trailing up and over it. I see the new small glass, metal, and brick building that must house the bathroom on the left hand side of a massive sheer white tent that is fixed to a thick foundation of concrete.

"It's beautiful," I say under my breath.

"Did you say something, love?" Tobias asks making me realize I spoke out loud.

"It's so beautiful," I say. "I didn't notice much of our surroundings during the ceremony. I was too focused on you." I lean into him, he wraps his arm around my waist pulling me close, and presses his lips to the top of my head. A flash goes off startling us both.

"That should do it," Gunner says with a smile on his face. I can tell he's extremely satisfied with photographing an unplanned intimate moment between the bride and groom. "I'll take more candid shots inside. Congratulations, you two." He turns and walks into the reception.

"Can you all give us a couple minutes?" Tobias says to our friends.

"Of course," Zeke says. "Come on, guys." They turn and walk over to the tent. When they enter, cheering starts but dies off quickly when our guests realize we didn't come in too. When we are alone Tobias takes me into his arms and gently places his lips on mine. I melt into him, kissing him passionately.

"You are absolutely the most beautiful woman I've ever seen in my entire life," he says, his eyes sparkling. "You took my breath away when you stepped out of the tent." I can't help myself, I blush from head to toe. "Awe, there's my blushing bride." I draw his mouth to mine again and kiss him tenderly. He pulls away too soon, always too soon, and glides his hand down my cheek. "Shall we go, Mrs. Eaton? Our guests are waiting for us."

"I love you so much, Tobias," I say, happy tears glistening in my eyes. "And I really love hearing you call me Mrs. Eaton."

"Well, you get to hear it for the rest of your life," he says. "I love you, too, Beatrice Grace." He takes my hand and leads me to the edge of the reception tent and leans over and puts his lips up against my ear sending a shiver of pleasure down my spine. "Take it all in. Christina outdid herself." He kisses me quickly then moves the sheer white tent flap aside and lets me go inside. All our guests start clapping and cheering, and I blush again.

I take Tobias' advice and immediately take in my surroundings. It's absolutely beautiful and understated just the way I wanted it. There is a large rectangular table setup against the far wall where the wedding party is sitting waiting for us. In front of it are three huge round tables and three shorter oblong ones. All the tables are draped with sheer bright white linen tablecloths and the chairs have matching covers over them. There are black lace runner's sprinkled with red rose petals down the center of each rectangular-shaped table. Each winter white china place setting surrounded by silver so shiny I'm sure you can see yourself in it is sitting on black linen placemats. The crystal goblets are already filled with ice water, and the champagne flutes are filled with sparkling white grape cider. On the center of each round table is an elaborate centerpiece made of red and white roses and baby's-breath in a shiny black bowl-shaped vase. On the oblong tables are 4-inch red and black lit pillar candles on 2-inch white pedestal holders alternating with white vases full of red roses. The poles holding up the tent are wrapped with steady-burning soft white lights. Right in front of me is a wooden dance floor that looks remarkably similar to the one I saw last night at the Crystal Gardens, and to my left is all of Frankie's DJ equipment. Hanging from the ceiling are various sized round paper lanterns casting a soft glow on the reception area. In the opposite corner near the wedding party is a small table where our cake is. It's a three tier round chocolate and butter cream cake with white fondant icing embellished with realistic-looking black flower embroidery and red roses also made out of frosting. It is absolutely gorgeous. We walk across the dance floor, through our guests bombarding us with congratulations, and sit down at our table. Tyler immediately gets down off my mom's lap and comes running over to me.

"Up," he says, holding his arms out. I pick him up and carefully sit him on my lap and kiss his cheek.

"Did you like the wedding?" I say in his ear.

"Yes, pwitty," he says looking up over his shoulder at me with a smile. "Hungwy, Twis."

"I bet supper is coming any minute," I say.

"It is," Christina says just as several Dauntless members dressed in identical tux's as the rest of the wedding party come into the tent carrying trays of our first course, lobster bisque.

"Hey, guys. Do you think we could make room for a chair for Tyler?" Tobias asks. "There's plenty of room." We adjust the place settings and bring an empty chair over and set it between Tobias and me. I take a couple bites of the soup watching Tyler eat the special meal of chicken fingers, macaroni and cheese, mixed vegetables, and cooked apples that we ordered for him and the other kids who we didn't think would want the extravagant meal but I'm not really hungry. I watch as our guests eat and mingle amongst themselves. They all look like they're having a good time. The same men come in and take away all the empty dishes then bring in the second course, a classic Caesar salad with buttery croutons and shaved parmesan cheese. It goes this way for the rest of the meal until everyone has had their honey baked chicken with herb roasted rosemary red potatoes, grilled mixed vegetables, grilled peaches with mascarpone cheese, and yeast rolls with fresh Amity honey butter. I don't eat much. I'm still much too nervous or maybe it's the subtle morning sickness that's been threatening to ruin my evening since I sat down. Suddenly a strong wave of nausea crashes over me, and knowing that I won't be able to sit here much longer, I get up from the table and go to Christina.

"Can you help me in the bathroom?" I whisper in her ear.

"Of course," she says then adds to Will, "We'll be right back." I kiss Tobias' cheek and tell him I'll be back soon. We end up having to hurry to the new bathroom where Christina holds my hair back while I get sick. Damn morning sickness. I knew it would happen. The past week it's hit this time of night. I'm three months along, shouldn't it be over by now? When I finally start feeling better, she runs to the makeshift salon and gets a toothbrush and some toothpaste.

"How did you know?" I ask as she hands me the much-needed items.

"I'm going by experience," she says with a sympathetic smile. I brush my teeth thoroughly ... twice ... then rinse my mouth out with water.

"Do we have any ginger ale?" I ask as we walk back to the reception. "I'm still feeling a bit queasy."

"Yeah. I made sure to have a couple bottles just in case," she says. She goes to lift the tent flaps to let us enter but I stop her.

"I know I've thanked you several times for planning my wedding, Christina, but I don't think I understood exactly what that meant," I say. "Every detail of today has been ... _beyond_ perfect. The decorations are classy yet simple. The food was absolutely delicious. This venue," I'm shaking my head in complete disbelief, " ... I have no words. I am so thankful for you. I truly do love you." I hug her fiercely and let a few tears escape down my face. I wipe them away as soon as I let her go. "Damn hormones!"

"You're welcome, Tris," she says with tears sparkling in her eyes. "It's been my pleasure doing all this for you. We better get back in there before they think you ran off. Let me check you out first." She wipes the remnants of my tears away, checks my dress, and makes sure my hair is still perfect. "You truly are a lovely bride. Let's go." She lifts the flap, and we walk back in. "Mingling time. I'll let you know when you'll cut the cake."

"Thanks again," I say. I come up behind Tobias and put my hands on his shoulders. He looks up at me and concern immediately crosses his face.

"What's wrong?" he asks. Of course he would notice. I hope no one else can see that I'm not as put together as I was before exiting.

"Morning sickness," I say after I bend over and place my lips to his ear. He gets up and wraps me in his arms. I love wearing heels, it bridges the gap between our heights.

"I'm so sorry," he says. "Can I get you anything?"

"Ginger ale as you requested," Christina says, interrupting his question. I take the glass from her.

"Thank you, Christina," I say and she leaves us alone. "And thank you for your offer." I sip the liquid and wrinkle my nose. I wonder if I'll ever get used to the taste. "I love you. Have I told you that today? I missed you by the way, and I didn't sleep very well last night. I tossed and turned wishing your arms were wrapped around me. I had to keep reminding myself that there would never be another night that we would spend apart." I sigh loudly thinking about last night. "How did you sleep?"

"Just as bad as you," he says. "But I had one comfort, I slept on your pillow. Your scent helped a little."

"I'm glad something helped you," I say kissing the spot beneath his right ear. He growls lowly at me.

"You better not start something we can't finish," he says roughly. I gaze into his eyes, and the intense look is back.

"What are you thinking?" I softly say. "You had that same look on your face when I walked down the aisle."

"I'm thinking that I can't believe you're mine, and I can't wait to get you alone later," he says then he puts his mouth up to my ear. "I want you more than I ever have before." I gasp at his declaration but it isn't because he scares me. It's because I know what he means. The need I'm feeling in this moment has my soul aching for him to fill the void. I put my mouth to his and kiss him deeply. Then I move my mouth to his ear.

"I can't wait until we are alone either," I say. "I want my husband to make love to me." A guttural moan escapes his throat. We stare at each other. I let my imagination run away with me. He is probably doing the same. I hear someone clear their voice, and I finally tear my eyes away from his to find my mom and dad standing in front of us. I smile brightly at them hoping that what's been running through my mind isn't written on my face. That would be very embarrassing. I wouldn't be able to meet my parent's eyes ever again. My mom hugs me as Dad hugs Tobias, which reminds me of something.

"What did you say to Four before the ceremony started?" I ask. I look at Tobias and add, "I meant to ask but my head's kind of spinning."

"Back to Four now?" Dad asks and Tobias bashfully nods.

"I'm not ready to be Tobias all the time yet," he says.

"I understand," Dad says. "Beatrice, I told him to take care of you and tell you that he loves you every day. I also told him that if he ever hurts you, he would have to answer to me."

"Dad!" I complain.

"It's alright, Tris," Tobias says with a smile. "I plan to take his advice and tell you that I am head over heels in love with you every single day. I swear as long as I live that no one will ever hurt you again, and when our daughter or daughters," he puts his hand on my tummy, "get married, I'll say the exact same thing to the men they are pledging their lives to. I appreciate the way you love her, sir. You don't want anything bad to happen to her and neither do I."

"We have another wedding gift for you," Mom says and I frown at her. What's with all the gifts?

"_Another_ gift?" Tobias says not knowing about earlier.

"They gave me this hairpin," I say turning my head away from him. "It was my grandmother's. She gave it to Mom on her wedding day." I turn my head back and look at my mom. "This is more than enough."

"That is just too bad," she says. "We wanted to do something for you, so we talked it over. We paid for your wedding." My eyes widen drastically, and my mouth falls open. I start slowly shaking my head.

"That is entirely too generous," Tobias says, recovering before I do. "We can't accept that."

"It's too late," Dad says. "Christina let us know how much you two spent, and I had her transfer the full amount back into your account. Use the money when our grandchildren are born. Kids can be expensive."

"Mom, Dad," I say starting to argue but they stop me. My mom takes a step toward me, places her hands on my shoulders, and looks me in the eyes.

"Some Abnegation rules are harder to follow than others. Never celebrating your birthday ... never celebrating _anything_. I never got to properly celebrate your _birth_. Do you think I like that? No, I don't," she says. "At the very least, _you_ deserve to be celebrated. So please let us celebrate you and all you've become on this, your wedding day. You are an extraordinary young woman, and we are so proud of you." I look at Tobias through the tears that are gathering in my eyes, and he smiles and nods. I hug my mom tightly.

"I don't know how to thank you," I say.

"You just did," she says when I release her. I wrap my arms around my dad and hug him fiercely.

"Thank you, Dad," I say. "I love you both. _We_ love you both."

"Natalie, Andrew," Tobias says, hugging my mom and giving my dad a hearty handshake. "Thank you for thinking of us. Your gift is very generous. We truly appreciate it."

"We won't monopolize any more of your time," Dad says. "There are others who want to congratulate you. Four, take care of our girl. Beatrice, you make a beautiful bride. Your mother and I wish you two a world of happiness." We hug again then they go sit at their table.

We walk around and talk to all our guests. It seems like I've never hugged so many people in all my life. We are given well wishes and sincere congratulations time and again. I'm told what a lovely blushing bride I make, prompting me to blush all over again. Zeke makes a couple innuendos about our honeymoon eliciting a playful punch in the arm from my husband. Tobias is also thanked over and over by our friends for finally opening up and reveling his name. Everyone knows the story of Tobias Eaton so they all understand his need to recreate himself as Four. I know he was nervous about this big step but not one person looks at him with anything other than love and appreciation in their eyes. Happily, Nathan and Callen made it to share in our day. He sat next to my mom during supper. They've been talking almost nonstop. Avery, who is a social butterfly, introduced herself to Callen, and they seem to be hitting it off. Caleb and Cara sat at the same table with my parents. By their body language, they like each other _a lot_. I'm so glad he has found someone. Will got up almost immediately after supper was finished and went to sit with his sister. They have been talking animatedly now for more than an hour. Someone else I invited that I wasn't sure would make it, came. Isobel is sitting with Zander and Stella and has been all night. She's wearing a beautiful blue dress, and I now realize that she comes from Erudite. The Parrish children take up their own table and besides Tyler are the only kids in attendance. Right now he and Zane are sitting under the table playing with cars they were both allowed to bring. Another table is full of our friends, Hana, Tori, and her boyfriend, Frankie. They have been laughing and carrying on all evening. I'm glad everyone is getting along so well, and I'm especially thankful that our Dauntless family and friends are making our out-of-faction visitors feel welcome. After speaking briefly with everyone, Tobias and I make our way back to our table. He is pouring me another glass of ginger ale when Christina comes up behind me.

"It's time to cut the cake," she says, making me jump. "Sorry. I thought you saw me coming. Gunner will definitely want a picture of that."

"It's alright," I say, my hand over my heart willing it to slow down a little. I take a couple sips of the drink Tobias hands me then set it on the table. We walk over to the small table in the corner holding our beautiful cake. We stand behind it and pose for a couple photos then cut the cake. We each take a small piece and feed the other, and we are bombarded with flashes from the camera again. I warned him beforehand that if he wanted any sex whatsoever on our honeymoon that he better not smash it into my face and he doesn't. After we're done, we serve each of our guests a hearty slice of delicious wedding cake then sit down to enjoy a piece of our own.

"I would like to have everyone's attention please," Zeke says, lightly tapping a knife on his crystal champagne glass when everyone is nearly done with their cake. The chatter dies instantly and everyone looks our way. "Tris and Four told us no speeches but Christina and I would like to propose a toast to our best friends anyway." I blush crimson, and I see added color in Tobias' cheeks, too. We really hate the extra attention. These two are going to pay for this later.

"Tris, I am not only honored to be sharing this special day with you as your maid of honor but I'm especially honored that you call me your best friend every day. We are just as close as sisters. I've laughed with you. I've cried with you. I've raised a little hell with you. I've even fought with you," she says eliciting a chuckle from not only the crowd but from me as well. "Four, I have to be honest with you. I wasn't entirely convinced that you were good enough for Tris when I first found out that you two were dating. I even told her that, which I'm sure doesn't surprise you one bit but I've since changed my view on things ... on you. You have made her happier than I've ever seen her, and I can't wait to witness how your love continues to help her grow. I'm so happy that she has you in her life. I am privileged to be able to raise my glass to my wonderful best friend and her new husband."

"Four, I too am honored to be here tonight for you, my best friend, while you celebrate the beginning of the next chapter of your life. I couldn't have been happier when you started casually talking about a mysterious girl last July. I knew she must have been special because up until that time, and I knew you two full years, I never _once_ heard you speak about any other girl. You tried to act like she didn't mean anything to you, but I knew. You couldn't hide the truth from me. I could _see_ it. You lit up every time you spoke her name kind of like the way you're lighting up looking at her right now," Zeke says. I meet Tobias' eyes and return his warm, loving smile then we both turn our attention back to his best man. "And when I saw her kissing you in the middle of the cafeteria after the rankings were announced, I didn't think I could have been any happier for you. But it turns out I was wrong. I had no idea that one little kiss would lead to all this: Marriage, children, a lifetime full of happiness. Tris, I know I've told you this before but thank you for loving Four the way you do. You make him incredibly happy, and you have made him into a better man. I love you both dearly. May today be the beginning of a wonderful new and long-lasting chapter in your lives, and may you always love, honor, and cherish each other, just as you do today."

"Everyone, please join us in raising your glasses and toasting the happy couple," Christina says. "To Tris and Four!"

"We love you guys!" Zeke says.

"Congratulations and cheers!" Zeke and Christina say at the same time.

"Cheers!" says a choir of voices, everyone holding their glasses high then sipping their sparkling cider. Tobias gets up and clears his throat and everyone looks his way. I wasn't expecting him to make a speech.

"I would like to thank all of you for being here tonight, sharing in our special day. Tris and I truly appreciate it," Tobias says. "I would also like to thank our very good friend, Christina, for planning this wedding. It has been perfect. But most of all I would like to thank my beautiful bride for loving me so selflessly." He looks down into my eyes. "You are my everything. The day you said you would be my wife, I thanked God for putting you in my path, and today I thank Him again that I am lucky enough to get to call you my wife from this day forward. I love you with all that I have. You do make me a better man." He mouths the words I love you then looks at our guests again. "Now, I have one final wedding present for Tris. If everyone will please follow us outside."

"Tobias," I whisper, tears stuck in my throat. "I love you, too. What did you do? You've given me too much now as it is."

"You'll see," he says with a big grin. We all walk outside and go to a spot just beyond the arbor. "Many of you won't understand the significant of this gift so I will tell you a little story first. We have a tradition here at Dauntless. As part of initiation, and sometimes just because, we play a game called capture the flag. We split off into two teams, each hiding a flag, and then we try to capture the other team's flag first. Anyway, Tris was on my team last year. To get a better vantage point, she decided to climb the Ferris wheel." He points in the direction of the big wheel and it lights up as if on cue. I gasp and put my hands over my mouth. The white lights are so beautiful and shine brightly on us all. "Zeke was right. I was constantly trying to talk myself out of the feelings I had for Tris when I first met her but something happened that night when she started climbing. I followed her. This may not seem significant but ... I don't like heights so in that moment I realized that I must love this tiny girl with a big heart, bigger brain, and the guts to do what no one had done before because I would follow her anywhere." The shock wears off and I throw my arms around his neck and kiss him passionately on the mouth. He moves away from me, and I sigh and our guest chuckle at me. "We climbed nearly to the top that night getting to know a little about each other, and she found our opponent's flag. We won the game. But as we were coming down, a bar broke, and it left her dangling." I hear my mom gasp. "I had to conquer my fear to get her down safely, and she ended up taking a little ride but tonight I would like to ask Tris if she would take a proper ride with me." He holds his hand out, and I can't help but take it.

"Is it safe?" I whisper

"It's been restored," he says. "I would never endanger you or Peanut."

"Okay," I say, excitement visible on my face.

"Anyone who would like to take a ride is more than welcome to join us," he says. We climb into one of the freshly painted bright red cars and sit side-by-side. Someone starts the motor, and we start going around at a measured pace. Apparently, no one took Tobias up on his offer because we don't stop to let anyone else on. The lights of the city are extraordinary from the big wheel, unlike anything I've ever seen before. He wraps me in his strong embrace and draws my lips to his. He thrusts his tongue into my mouth finding mine. We let them dance for a time not worrying about anything. When I feel the passion building to another level, I groan but I don't take my mouth away from his.

"We still have dancing," he says in between kisses on my neck.

"I really don't care," I say. "I would give anything to make love to you right now." This time he groans. "I wonder if all brides and grooms feel this way. Even though I would like nothing better than to have my way with you right here, I'll be good."

"One day when we don't have guests watching our every move, I'll bring you back here and we'll give this thing a good ride," he says wagging his eyebrows at me.

"Tobias!" I say, playfully slapping his chest and blushing deeply. "You sound just like Zeke." We laugh again. For the rest of the ride we cuddle next to each other and watch the lights of the city between tender, loving kisses. He doesn't even look like he's bothered by the height of the Ferris wheel so I don't break the spell by asking. When we finally come to a stop at the bottom, we get out and slowly walk to the dance floor. Frankie is playing a romantic ballad and several couples are already in each other's arms swaying to the music.

"May I have this dance?" he says.

"Four, Tris," Zander says. We turn and look his way. "We really need to get going. I have to work in the morning, and the kids are up past their bedtimes." I know what he means. Tyler is going to be a cranky little bear tomorrow. Poor Stella. "I wanted to give you my congratulations again and let you say goodbye to Tyler." We follow Zander back to his table where everyone looks a little worse for wear.

"Tyler, honey, come here," I say after I sit on one of the chairs. He scrambles up off the cold concrete floor and into my arms. I hug him tightly, not wanting to let him go. "You're going home with Zander and Stella while Four and I go away for a while. You'll have a long sleepover with Zane. Won't that be fun?" He smiles and nods. Good! No tears! "If you get to missing me or Four, tell Stella, Zander, or Avery, and they can call us. Give me a bug hug and a kiss. I miss you already." He hugs me tightly then kisses me sloppily on the mouth tasting of chocolate cake. I hope he can sleep tonight and doesn't have too much of a sugar high. He then looks at Tobias and says goodbye.

"Love you, Twis," he says with a sleepy little smile. "Love you, Fo."

"We love you, too, buddy. To the moon and back," Tobias says.

"Moon back?" he repeats.

"That's right, to the moon and back," I say, kissing his forehead. "You better be good for Zander and Stella. You be a good boy. I love you." I'm going to miss him terribly the next 10 days. Tobias helps me out of the chair, and we stand hand-in-hand watching as Tyler leaves with the Parrish's.

"Would you like to dance, Mrs. Eaton?" he whispers in my ear.

"I would love to, Mr. Eaton," I say with a bright smile. He leads me back to the dance floor where it's my intention not to let go of him for the rest of the night but I should have known better. After our second dance, Uriah asks if he can cut in. We are polite and say yes, and while I'm dancing with Uri, Tobias dances with Marlene. We actually dance with _everyone_. I have to dance with Zeke a few times and Uriah another time so that all the girls can get a turn with Tobias. I notice that Frankie plays a lot of romantic tunes and then other songs have subtle or not so subtle innuendo. All I can think is, _"Christina!"_ I know she picked out the music. When we finally make it back to each other, I sigh. I lay my head against his shoulder and cling to him. My restless night is catching up with me, and I yawn into his chest.

"It's almost time to go," he says. "But the train won't be here until 2 a.m."

"Train?" I say, panic moving through me.

"Don't worry. It's going to stop for us to get on then off at our destination," he says.

"Which is?" I ask.

"Nope," he says with a huge grin shaking his head. "It's a surprise."

"Don't you think you've done enough?" I ask. "I mean the Ferris wheel, the bell charm, the jewelry, the tattoo, using your name. I haven't given you a fourth that much."

"You gave me _you_," he says with a fierce intensity. "That's all I wanted. Do you want to sit down for a little bit and rest?"

"Yeah," I say. We turn to go back to our table and stop in our tracks. Standing just inside the tent entrance is Marcus.


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Someone asked if the honeymoon is going to be more than one chapter. Do you guys really need more than one chapter for their honeymoon?! Just kidding. Right now I'm in the middle of chapter 41, and they're still on their honeymoon! Anyway, here is another long chapter for you guys. I hope you don't get spoiled with these 5,000+ word chapters! When I get back to my 3,500 word average, you're going to think they are short! Enjoy! See you Saturday!**

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><p>"What are you doing here?" Tobias asks. I feel him tense up beside me, and his mask turns him from Tobias into Four right before all our eyes.<p>

"Do you think I would miss my son's wedding, Tobias?" he loudly says for all to hear. It's a good thing he already let all our friends know his true identity or his father just would have let them in on the secret. "Of course my invitation got lost in the mail but I decided to come anyway." Tobias marches straight at his father. I practically have to run to keep up with him. He grabs Marcus by the arm, wheels him around, and pushes him out of the tent.

"_You_ are not welcome here," Tobias says after he lets his father go. Marcus stumbles a few steps then rights himself. "I want you to leave. _NOW!_"

"What? Are you afraid that all your friends in there will learn who you really are, _Four_?" he says hatefully.

"My friends know who I am," he says ambiguously. "Now leave before I call my men over and have you forcefully removed back to Abnegation."

"I'm disappointed, son," he says with a tsk. "Why is it okay for _her_ parents to be here but not me? She didn't let you invite me, did she? It's just as I always thought, the little slut has you by the _balls_ doesn't she?" Tobias loses it. He lunges at his father, grabbing him by the throat, and knocking him to the ground. He starts throwing punch after punch as he hovers above his father.

"Tobias, _stop it_," I yell, trying to yank the arm that's holding his father to the ground but it doesn't move one inch. "Stop it! He's not _worth_ this." Zeke and Uriah push me out of the way and drag Tobias off his father. They hold him back as he struggles in vain to get away from them. My dad kneels down and tends to Marcus who is lying bloody and beaten on the ground, and I step in front of Tobias to try to calm him down.

"Please calm down," I say, my heart hammering in my chest. I take a step closer and put my hands on either side of his face. "Look at me, Tobias." His eyes slide to mine and soften immediately, and he stops struggling.

"I'm okay now," he softly, almost apologetically says, and Zeke and Uriah release their grip on him. "I'm so sorry, Tris. I just ruined everything."

"You didn't ruin a thing," I say, caressing his cheek. "He finally pushed you too far. If it hadn't been you, it would have been me who attacked him. We can only take so much from him, Tobias. Please stay here." I make eye contact with Zeke signaling him to stay close to his friend's side just in case Marcus insults me again. I walk over to my father who just helped his old friend up. "Are you okay?" His steely eyes land on mine, and he nods once. "Please leave, Marcus. Can't you tell you're not wanted here?" I turn and walk back to my new husband.

"I'm sorry, Tris," Tobias says again. I take him by the hand and lead him into the salon tent. He washes the blood off his hands in the small sink and changes out of his now bloody tuxedo shirt into an extra Christina thought to bring just in case, though I imagine this scenario never crossed her mind. When he turns and looks at me, my heart contracts. He looks so sad.

"Come here," I say taking him in my arms. I hold him tight. "Let's just go. It's close enough to 2:00." He clings to me and doesn't move. "Tobias Eaton, look at me." He releases me and looks into my eyes. "This is our day. You didn't do anything your father didn't deserve but if you keep dwelling on it you _are_ going to ruin everything. Do you understand me?" By this time I have my hands on my hips like I'm scolding him, which isn't my intention. "You didn't do _anything_ wrong. Please believe me, I wouldn't lie to you." He sighs.

"I love you," he says placing his lips to mine for a soft, quick kiss. "You're right ... about everything." We walk out of the tent to say goodbye to our friends and are surprised to see Marcus still here sitting on one of the white folding chairs, turning a red rose over and over in his hands.

"Please don't," I say when I see him start to transform again.

"Don't worry, I won't" he says as he kisses my forehead. He walks to his father and stares at him. "Just to set things straight, Tris asked me if I wanted to invite you to the wedding, and I told her I didn't want you here. It was _my_ decision, not hers. You have it in your mind that she drove a wedge between us, and I honestly don't know where that came from. _You_ are the one who broke our relationship by the way you treated me growing up and the way you continue to treat me and Tris. Unfortunately, you will never own that so there is absolutely _no_ hope for a relationship between the two of us. I am sorry that I attacked you. That was totally uncalled for. Doing it made me like you, and I strive every day to make sure I turn out nothing like you." He takes one step closer to his father and leans into him a little. "And know _this_, one day you're going to wake up and realize everything that you've put me through and want to make amends and have a relationship with me and your grandchildren but you will _never_ have anything to do with _me_, my wife, or our children. Do you understand? Please leave. Goodbye, Marcus." He straightens up, comes back to me, takes me by the hand, and practically drags me back into the reception tent.

"He left," Dad says coming back into the tent almost immediately after us.

"Thank you," I say.

"I'm sorry that I made a scene," Tobias says addressing everyone in the room. "In case any of you are wondering, that was my father. I'm embarrassed for my actions but he insulted Tris one to many times, and I lost my temper and patience for a moment. Now you know why I separate myself from that life. I'm glad you all know who I am now but I'm still just Four. I'd appreciate you not calling me Tobias." He turns to me and takes me in his arms. I hug him tightly.

"Four and I are leaving now," I say. "You guys are more than welcome to stay, dance, drink, have fun. Thank you so much for coming. You don't know how much it means to both of us." They all gather around us, and we have to hug each and every one of them before we are allowed to leave. Our friends wave at us until we are out of sight. "Are you okay, Tobias?"

"I've been better," he says. Although he is standing right beside me staring at the train tracks, he might as well be a million miles away. This isn't a good start to our honeymoon.

"I need you to do something for me," I say after we've been quiet for a time. He looks down at me. "I need you to forget that the past half hour ever happened. If you can't, we might as well just call off the honeymoon and go home so you can sulk."

"I'm sorry," he says with a drawn out sigh. "I am moping aren't I? I'll try to let it go."

"Oh, Tobias," I say cupping his face with my hand, caressing his cheek lightly with my thumb. "How can I help take the pain away? We're partners now, tied together for life. I need you to learn to lean on me."

"It won't happen overnight," he says. "But I'm trying and one day it will be second nature to me. I love you so much. Now kiss me. I want our honeymoon to begin now, love." I narrow my eyes and look at him but it seems like he's done as I asked and forgotten his father's visit. I'm kissing him enthusiastically when the train stops in front of us. He gets on then helps me in. Within two minutes, we are moving again.

"Where are we going?" I ask. "Please tell me."

"We have about an hour train ride," he says. "I'll tell you more at our next stop." I can't stop myself from yawning. It's very late ... or early depending on how you look at things. "Why don't you sit next to me and rest?" I move across the small space and sit down on the bench next to him. I lean up against his side and close my eyes. It seems like a minute later I feel the train slow down, and my eyes flutter open. "Good! You're awake." I smile when he kisses my temple. "I was afraid I was going to have to wake you."

"I'm not awake," I say sleepily. I hear him chuckle. "Where are we?"

"The fence," he says in my ear.

"Are we going to Amity?" I ask. I rack my brain trying to figure out where he's taking me, and I'm still coming up short even though I now know we're headed outside the fence.

"We are," he says. "We have reservations at a bed and breakfast by the fence. A Dauntless guard is going to drive us. I heard about this place from Zander. He and Stella honeymooned here years ago. I hope you like it."

"As long as I'm with you I don't care where we go," I say, my eyes threatening to close again. When the train fully stops, he helps me get out. The gate is open, and we walk through.

"Four, Tris," says a voice from the darkness. I automatically move closer to Tobias, not knowing who is there. A typical-looking Dauntless member with wild rainbow-colored hair and multiple facial piercings steps out of the shadows. "I'm Mel. I'm driving you to your destination this morning. Congratulations on your marriage."

"Thank you, Mel," Tobias says.

"Do you have any luggage?" he asks.

"No, it's been taken ahead," Tobias says. He helps me into the backseat of the car then joins me. I lean into him and close my eyes again. "Sleep, love. We have a little bit of a drive." I turn my head, searching for his lips. He lightly touches his mouth to mine with a tender kiss. I smile and sigh when he releases me then fall immediately into sleep. Soon I feel his lips up against my ear. "Tris, wake up. Tris! Beatrice Grace Eaton, wake up." My eyes finally slide open and see his face mere inches from mine. I reach for him forgetting we have an audience. "Can you hold that thought until we get inside?" I blush at him. "We're here." It's still dark outside but the structure in front of me is dimly lit, and I can't believe my eyes.

"Four, I thought this was _inside_ the fence," I say. I've heard tales of people walking here. Obviously that's not true.

"It's so close to the fence that most people mistake it for being inside," he says. "Come on." He holds his hand out to me, and I take it. He then helps me out of the car.

"I can't believe you brought me to the lighthouse," I say staring up at the massive structure in front of me.

"Thanks for the ride, Mel," Tobias says.

"You're welcome," he says. "Congratulations again you two!" Mel gets back in the car and drives away. We climb up the stairs to a door. He opens it then sweeps me off my feet, lovingly cradling my legs and back. He walks through the door into a foyer. "The entire place has been gutted then remodeled into a bed and breakfast. It will accommodate more than one guest but we have the place to ourselves for the next 10 days. There is an Amity caretaker who lives on the other side. So this building and the tower is all ours." He sits me on my feet. "I'll give you a tour of the place."

"Tobias, there are only two rooms I care about right now, the bathroom and the bedroom," I say. I see him visibly swallow and a cloud of anxiety descends on me but I push it away.

"Okay," he says roughly, desire suddenly radiating from his eyes. "We have quite a climb. Our suite is clear at the top. Are you ready for this?"

"Yeah," I say, not really knowing if he's meaning the long walk to the top of the tower or our night ... actually _morning_ together. He reaches his hand out to me, and I lace my fingers with his. He leads me past a kitchen and eat-in dining room, which he explains is a common room for all guests and the caretaker. We go to the stairs and climb up six flights of spiral stairs past several closed doors and come into a circular room that has a small kitchenette on one side, a small bathroom tucked near the steps, and a cozy living area with a TV.

"Bathroom," he says pointing at it. "Bedroom is on the next level."

"Thanks," I say. "You can use it first." He takes a deep breath and goes into the small bathroom. I look around the room. It's smaller than home but doesn't feel confining. There are four windows that will allow for nice natural light when the sun comes up. I hear the bathroom door and turn and look at him. He has his tux jacket off and his shirt pulled out of his pants. "I need you to unbutton my dress." I don't know why I'm so nervous. It's not like we've never done this before but in truth, we haven't. We've made love but never as husband and wife, and it's been so long. He comes across the room and stands behind me.

"I love your hair," he say, sweeping it over my shoulder. At the mention of my hair, I remember the delicate pin my mom gave me. I need to remember to take it out. I wouldn't want to break it. I feel his fingers on my back as he unbuttons the 50 or so buttons holding my dress on me, and they leave a trail of heat. When he's done, he lowers the dress nearly to the floor so I can step out of it, leaving me only in my lacy white lingerie and high heel shoes. This must be a dream come true for him. I can't bring myself to meet his eyes. I just go straight into the bathroom. I lean against the door trying to calm my runaway nerves. I close my eyes and take a few deep calming breaths. I reach up with trembling hands to take the ruby and diamond pin out of my hair then take the remaining invisible pins out and let my curls fall, framing my face. I wash up after my extremely long day but I decide against a shower. I see a flash of black out of the corner of my eye and I turn. Hanging behind the door is my silk robe. I strip out of my bra and boy shorts and take my shoes off then slip the robe on. I'm not sure why, but I feel more at ease now that more of me is covered. I take another deep breath and open the door but the room is empty.

I go to the stairs and look up but I can't see anything except for a flicker of candle light. I slowly climb the spiral staircase, and when I reach the top of the stairs, the first thing I notice is Tobias standing across the room with his back to me. I look around at what used to be the lantern room, which is constructed of six oversized full glass panels giving it a hexagon shape. At chair level there is a wooden shelf all around the room that has more lit candles on it than I've ever seen. In the center of the room is a large four poster king size bed with a sheer white billowy canopy. As a matter of fact, all the linens I see in the room are crisp, bright white. Below me is a white oak wide plank wooden floor and above me are exposed beams made of the same wood and a vaulted ceiling.

"This room is ... breathtaking. From what I've seen of the place so far, it's the perfect setting," I say. "I hope you didn't worry that I wouldn't like it because I truly do." He slowly turns around and my breath catches in my throat. His shirt is hanging open exposing his chiseled chest and abdomen to me. He is the very definition of perfect, and I feel the spark of desire low in my abdomen. He turns back around, and I hear him pouring drinks. He brings me a champagne flute full of sparkling cider.

"We don't have to do this," he says, handing me the drink.

"Yes, we do," I shyly say then I have to clear my throat. "I want to."

"Love ... you look petrified," he says.

"I look that bad," I say with a nervous chuckle. I have to look away from his penetrating gaze. Everything comes out in a rush. "Tobias, I won't lie. I'm more nervous now than I was before our first time, and I don't exactly know why. But don't mistake my nervousness for anything else. We just need to go slow. I promise, I won't stop."

"If you _need_ to stop, stop," he says. "I understand."

"I wish _I _understood," I whisper. I raise my head and look into his eyes. I see a deep love and intense need radiating toward me. We both want this, we both _need_ this. I hold my glass up.

"To my husband, the love of my life, my best friend, my soul mate, the father of my unborn children. I didn't know what love truly meant until I met you, until I was _loved_ by you. I don't know what I would do without you. You've been so patient and loving with me over the past few weeks. I honestly don't know how to repay you," I say. "I love you more and more each day, Tobias. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to love you for the rest of your life. You don't know what that means to me."

"To my best friend ... my lover ... my partner in life ... the mother of my future children ... my blushing bride ... my beautiful _wife_," he says. I can't help but smile brightly when he calls me his wife. I don't think I will ever get used to it or tire of those sweet words. "You are kind, caring, loving, romantic, passionate, charming, feisty, strong, thoughtful, beautiful. You also have a rare quality ... you don't _know_ that you're beautiful, which makes you that much more attractive and selfless, giving, sensitive, modest, compassionate. I could go on. You make me want to be a better man. I didn't know that love existed in this world until you jumped into my life. I would have faded away into obscurity without you. I love you more than I know how to put into words so please allow me to _show_ you how much I love you, Tris." We toast each other then I take a sip of the cider, never taking my eyes off his handsome face. The bubbles tickle my nose and I giggle. When we're finished, he takes the empty glass from me and puts it back where he got them on a narrow console table against one of the glass walls then turns and walks to me. I'm sure he has to be able to see my heart beating in my chest it's pounding so hard.

I stand on my tiptoes and wrap my arms around his neck and stare lovingly into his eyes. Then I slowly draw his mouth to mine tasting the sweet cider on his lips as they move tenderly, almost tentatively with mine. He manages to pull me closer as the need behind the kiss deepens. I draw a ragged, uneven breath into my aching lungs as he moves his mouth to my neck, kissing everywhere. I slide my hands up his muscled chest and push his shirt off his shoulders, and it lands at our feet. I slowly move my hands to the button of his pants and move it from its home then slowly lower the zipper over his straining bulge causing him to groan at my touch. I push them down until they get past his hips then they fall to his ankles and he steps out of them. He takes my hand and leads me to the bed. He sits down, and I stand in front of him.

"I love you, Tobias Eaton, so much it hurts," I say. "I'm not scared to be with you anymore. I never should have been. I realize that now. What we have is true love. What we do is _make_ love. You would never hurt me like he tried." I step closer until I'm standing in between his parted legs. "Love me please." My voice is laced with desire, lust, and thick need. I can feel my heart hammering away in my chest from the anticipation like it's trying to escape its confines. I slowly untie the belt on my robe while I'm staring into his eyes then let it slide off my shoulders and fall to the floor. His smoldering gaze nearly sets me on fire, and I feel the spark of desire turn into a four alarm blaze inside me.

"You are so beautiful," he says gently putting his hands on my waist. A blush covers me from head to toe as he looks me up and down. "I love you, too," he says to me.

"I want you to touch me," I whisper. He stands up and sweeps me up in his arms, cradling my back and legs. His mouth finds mine, and he kisses me eagerly until he lays me down on. I scoot toward the center as he follows me onto the bed. He lies down beside me and once again finds my mouth. He kisses me passionately, almost ferociously, the intense need he's feeling matching mine. I feel his hand glide over my growing belly and a shiver runs down my spine. His feather light touch slowly moves up my body until he covers my aching breast with his palm and kneads gently. He moves his mouth to my neck and kisses the spot beneath my left ear, and I grab onto him as a tiny ripple of pleasure moves through me, and I moan loudly. I pull his mouth back to mine as I arch my body against his. We let our tongues tangle as I move my hands up and down his back. He rolls my sensitive nipple between his thumb and index finger, and I gasp his name against his lips. He moves over me and starts kissing his way down my body. First he kisses the hollow in my neck. I lie back enjoying the sensation of his soft lips and velvety tip of his tongue sweeping ever so faintly against my skin. He kisses my right collar bone then brushes his lips against my chest to my left collar bone making me shiver then kisses each of my ravens, lingering on his as he always does. I keep running my hands up and down his back memorizing every rippled muscle.

"God, I love you," he says as he moves even lower, hovering over my breasts. I raise my head and meet his burning eyes. He lifts a soft mound up to his mouth and circles the aching nipple with just the very tip of his tongue. After a few laps he captures the bud with his lips then gently starts sucking and nibbling on it. I grasp his body tightly with my knees and tangle my fingers in his hair, pulling him closer to me. His other hand slides to my free breast and kneads gently then pinches the nipple softly. When he moves his mouth to my other breast, my body arches against him of its own accord. He circles the nipple before drawing it into his mouth. Then he sucks on it making it hard and wet. He nibbles gently making me moan deeply. He moves further down my body planting kisses on every inch of my naked skin. As he lowers himself further, I instinctively open my legs wider anticipating what I know is coming soon. He dips his tongue into my navel, and I feel a pulsating desire between my parted thighs.

"Tobias," I moan as he reaches up and covers a breast with his hand again. He massages and reforms the breast gently as he kisses further down my body still. He wraps his other arm around my leg and kisses the inside of my thigh. He lightly moves the tip of his tongue ever so gently across the sensitive skin. I feel his fingertips trail down my body until he's caressing the inside of my other thigh. I know once he touches me it won't take long to reach my climax. The fire he sparked is burning out of control. I feel him move his fingers to the entrance of my womanhood, and I hold my breath with anticipation. He ever so gently slides one finger into my moist tunnel, and I nearly come undone. He pulls his hand back just as slowly as he inserted it then starts the slow-pace in-and-out motion. I feel his hot breath coming quicker against my skin as he glides his tongue all along my opening alongside his finger but avoiding my aching nubbin. An electric shock runs through me when he finally flits his tongue out and ever so slightly touches just the side of the sensitive bundle of nerves.

"Oh, my God!" I say. I've missed how this makes me feel. He quickens the pace he set with his finger as he kisses all around my thighs and exposed sex, making sure he only touches my nubbin once in a while. "Please, Tobias." Hearing the overwhelming need in my voice, he stops teasing and draws the aching bundle into his mouth and sucks gently. I arch my body against his mouth but it doesn't deter him. He tightens his hold on me before he captures the nubbin between his teeth. He swirls his tongue with the lightest touch, and I come totally undone. I arch completely off the bed, holding his head closer to me making sure his tongue doesn't leave its target as a wave of pleasure so strong crashes over me that I think I'm going to drown in it. He keeps up the pace as I ride the wave to completion. He finally slows then gently removes his finger from my body and starts slowly kissing his way back up making sure he hits every target he missed on the way down. I feel him kiss each erect nipple lightly then finally he captures my mouth with his.

After kissing him for what seems like forever, I gently push on his chest, and knowing what I want, he automatically rolls us so I'm the one in control. I lie on him fully for a time, thoroughly enjoying the feel of his soft lips moving tenderly with mine and our naked skin on one another's. I finally move my mouth off his, and following his lead, I skim just the tip of my tongue to the sensitive spot beneath his right ear. I suck, lick, and kiss gently making him groan loudly causing me to smile against his skin. I had almost forgotten that I can give him just as much pleasure as he gives me. I move down until I'm straddling his left leg, and I kiss every inch of his broad shoulders. I run my hands up and down his chest as my lips explore every inch. I lightly trace my name over his heart with the very tip of my tongue then I finally turn my attention to his already erect nipples. I capture one in my mouth, rolling my tongue over it, making it impossibly harder still. He groans at my touch and wraps his hands in my curls. I bite the bud gently, and he moans loudly. I move to his other nipple and slowly circle it with just the very tip of my tongue.

"Shit, Tris!" he says as I capture the bud between my teeth and suck on it gently. "God, I love you but you're killing me." I release his nipple and kiss my way further down his body, caressing his body with my fingertips as I go. I kiss his taut abs then I circle my tongue around his navel before diving in and French kissing him. His guttural moans drive me further, and I boldly run just the tip of my tongue up and down his fully erect shaft, which is lying flat against his hard belly. His breathing becomes labored when I circle my small hand around his throbbing manhood, move it away from his body, and glide my fist up and down. I run my tongue up and down the shaft several times, concentrating on the highly sensitive ridge around the head before I take him into my mouth, sucking gently while I look in his eyes, which darken a full shade at my action. After several minutes, he tosses his head back and I smile around his shaft. Soon his hips are thrusting forward as I love him with my mouth, tongue, and hand in a synchronized rhythm. Before long I feel him swell further in my mouth, and he stops breathing for a moment then shudders beneath me as he releases himself. I swallow every drop, keeping the rhythm of my hand until he expels himself fully. I slowly take my mouth off of him and lick up and down his softening shaft a few times before I kiss my way back up his body. I lie on him, giving him my weight fully again, and slowly lower my mouth to his. In the middle of a slow, lingering kiss he breaks away and yawns loudly.

"I am so sorry but would you mind terribly if we got some sleep," he asks.

"No, I don't mind," I say, a yawn of my own escaping. "I'm sorry we didn't get to make love though."

"What do you think we just did?" he asks, running his fingertips lightly down my face.

"You know what I mean," I shyly say.

"Yeah, I do," he says with a sigh, "but it's okay. We'll pick up where we left off later. We have 10 days of uninterrupted 'us' time."

"That sounds great Mr. Eaton," I say kissing him tenderly. "Goodnight. I love you so much, Tobias. Thank you for going slow."

"Goodnight, Mrs. Eaton. I love you more than you know."


	36. Chapter 36

**A/N: Wow! I just reached 64,000 views this morning in only 35 chapters! You guys are awesome! I hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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><p>I yawn widely and my eyes flutter open. I reach out for Tobias but his side of the bed is cold and empty, making me pout. I stretch, loosening my stiff muscles then swing my legs over the side of the bed. I sit for a minute trying to get my bearings and look out the glass panel window toward the city. By the placement of the sun, it's midafternoon. We slept for hours naked in each other's arms, the events of the previous 24 hours exhausting us both. I slide out of bed and look around. I pick up his tuxedo shirt and deeply inhale his scent with a smile. I slip it on and button the two middle buttons.<p>

As I start down the staircase, I glance out the window again, and I wonder momentarily what exists beyond the horizon then I continue downstairs. When I walk into the living room, I find it empty. I hear the shower running and know he's in the bathroom. I sit down on the couch then decide to strike a sexy pose – well as sexy as I know how to be – to surprise him when he comes out. I lie down on my side on the couch with my head propped up in my hand and my legs slightly bent, one laying over the other. I make sure that his shirt is covering only the bare necessities, hinting at what lies beneath. He opens the door and steps into the living room wearing only a pair of small, tight boxer briefs. I slide my eyes over his nearly naked body, and the fire of desire starts burning low in my stomach. _Damn_ he looks good. When he looks up, our eyes lock, and he stops in his tracks. One eyebrow raises as he takes in the sight before him then a smile turns up the ends of his lips.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Eaton," I coyly say. "It's a lovely day, isn't it?"

"It is now, Mrs. Eaton," he says continuing to run his eyes over me like a gentle caress. "Would you like to make it even better?" I smile and beckon him to me with my finger just as my stomach growls loudly. I didn't even know I was hungry but it makes perfect sense. It's been hours since the reception. He lets out a small chuckle, and I stick out my bottom lip, pouting and sigh. "How about some lunch then we can get back to uh ... this." He motions to my sexy pose. I get up off the couch, moving as seductively as I can, and go to him. I wrap my arms around his waist, and he leans down and places his lips to mine. He slowly kisses me until the passion threatens to boil over. He tears himself away from me and stands back trying to catch his breath.

"I'd say I'm sorry ... but I'm not," I breathlessly say with a smirk taking a step forward, pressing every inch of my body to his, going up on my tiptoes, and giving him a quick kiss. "I'm going to take a quick shower. Is the shampoo and stuff in there?"

"Yeah and our clothes are in the small closet," he says. "Does anything in particular sound good?" I know what sounds good, and it isn't food.

"Surprise me, Tobias," I say, slowly running my hand across his taut abs before I turn and go into the bathroom. I feel his eyes burning into my back as I walk away from him, and I turn and blow him a kiss. I wonder what's gotten into me. I put the shirt I'm wearing on the back of the door and step into the small shower. I'm in and out within minutes. I dry myself thoroughly then put his shirt back on. It makes me feel like I'm wrapped in his embrace. I towel dry my hair until it's barely wet then return to my husband. Just thinking the word, tightens my stomach. I step out of the bathroom and find him in front of the small stove making eggs. I walk over to him and wrap my arms around his waist and kiss his Abnegation tattoo.

"Why don't you sit down? Lunch is almost done," he says, covering my hands with one of his. I hug him tightly then sit at the pub table where he serves me scrambled eggs, buttery wheat toast, and freshly squeezed orange juice.

"Can I ask you something?" I say.

"Sure," he says then puts a bite of egg in his mouth.

"What are we going to do here for 10 days?" I ask.

"Bored already?" he says with a smile and chuckle.

"No," I say rolling my eyes at him. "I'd be happy to spend the next 10 days in bed with you but since you packed clothes I imagine you have some other things in mind for us."

"Very perceptive," he says with a twinkle in his eyes. "Would you like to know or would you like to be surprised?" I take his question seriously. He's put a lot of effort into this honeymoon and until very early this morning I didn't even know where he was taking me.

"Even though I would _love_ to know what you have planned, I'm going to let you surprise me," I say.

"Thank you, Tris," he sincerely says, his sexy gaze penetrating me to my core once again. "You don't know what that means. I would have told you if you asked me but I wanted to keep our plans a surprise. I love you." He leans over the table and gives me a quick peck then he gets up and puts our empty dishes in the dishwasher. "Want to watch some TV?" A maniacal giggle escapes me, and I stare at him like he's possibly lost his mind. He laughs at my expression.

"_NO_," I say, raising my voice at him. "We can go to the couch or up to the bedroom or stay right here at the table, I don't care but I want you to make love to me." I watch his dark eyes dilate.

"That can be arranged," he says moving close to me and running his hand down my cheek. "Are you absolutely sure?"

"I love you," I say staring into his handsome face then kissing his lips slowly. "I'm not scared anymore, Tobias. I never should have been. I realize that now. When I was walking down the aisle toward you, I felt such strong emotions that I didn't recognize. To tell you the truth, I still don't. But I know one thing, I'm not going to let _him_ steal my intimate moments with you anymore. I know that I needed time to heal after what he did, but I think the longer I waited, the more scared I became of loving you. I'm sorry we had to wait so long."

"You don't have to apologize, love," he says cupping my face. I lean into him. "You said it yourself, you needed time to heal. You took time to do that. If we would have made love before you were _truly_ ready, it could have made things worse. So the way I look at it, _today_ is the right day." Tears run down my face as he speaks. He pulls me close, and I cling to him. He caresses my hair and whispers, I love you in my ear over and over. I swear this is the last time I will cry about this, especially in front of him because I know he suffers when I do.

When the tears run dry, I draw his mouth back to mine, and I kiss him aggressively. I half expect him to stop me but he kisses me back just as ferociously, our desire, need, want, and love showing plainly in our tangling tongues. He picks me straight up, and I tightly wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist. He carefully carries me up the steep spiral staircase and lays me down on the big bed. He straightens up and looks down at me with equal parts lust and love in his dark blue eyes. I inch back as he slowly crawls across the bed to cover my body with his. I can actually feel every hard inch of him against me but very little of his weight. I pull his mouth to mine and kiss him slowly. I run my hands down the side of his body and rest them on his hips. He runs his tongue against my bottom lip, and I sigh and open my mouth for him. He thrusts his tongue deep into my mouth and mates it with mine. I love the taste of orange on his tongue. I push his boxer briefs down his hips but can't get them very far. He pulls away from me and gets off the bed. He rips his underwear off then covers me again. I move my hand down his body and wrap my small hand around his hardening length and slowly start moving it up and down while we stare into each other's eyes.

"I need you now, Tobias," I whine. "I can't wait one more minute. I feel like we've had weeks of foreplay, and I'm about ready to explode. I want you _inside_ me ... _now_." The words come out like I'm pleading and maybe I am. It's been so long, and I want him so much. He moves his hand between us, and I open my thighs farther for him. I groan at the contact, and I swear it just comes from my toes. He gently circles my nubbin with the pad of his callused thumb getting me ready for him. He leans down and kisses me again as he inserts his middle finger into my womanhood. He slowly makes love to me with his hand, his thumb never leaving my nubbin. My hand starts a quicker pace on his steel-hard shaft, and he groans loudly. He withdraws his finger from me and leans back making me release my grip on him. He unbuttons the shirt I forgot I'm still wearing, and I lean up, take it off, and throw it across the room.

I lie back down, spreading my legs as far as I can. He lies down on top of me giving me his weight and tears come to my eyes. He places his forehead against mine and looks deeply into my eyes as he places himself at my moist center. He leans down and kisses the edge of my eye, capturing the escaping tears. I feel him push himself into me a couple inches. A gasp escapes my parted lips.

"It's been so long," I pant looking into his suddenly worried eyes. "I need you to go slow."

"Okay," he roughly says, moving his lips to mine. After he's still for a while, letting my body get accustomed to his welcome invasion he pushes into me another couple inches. He swivels his hips, and I raise my knees closer to my chest to make room for his substantial size. After a couple minutes, he pulls back slightly and slides further into my tight depths. I feel him stretching me, filling me, and I moan deeply. I pull his lips to mine and kiss him intensely. I feel him pull back a few inches then thrust into me harder until he's nearly all the way in. I bite my bottom lip to keep from calling out and grasp his hips tightly, digging my nails in. After a minute, my grip loosens, and he pulls back and seats himself fully within me. I pull his mouth to mine to trap my scream of pleasure. He kisses my mouth aggressively for a time, never moving inside me. He slowly moves his mouth, kissing across my cheek to my ear.

"You're tighter than I remember," he groans into my ear. "It feels _so_ good to be inside you again." I blush brightly at his words.

"You feel bigger than I remember," I breathlessly say, wrapping my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. He's still for a long time, staring into my eyes, caressing my face, kissing the sensitive spots on my neck and throat. When I'm totally relaxed I say, "I'm ready, Tobias. Love me _please_. I need you so much."

"I love you, Tris," he says as he slowly withdraws his pulsating shaft until just the head remains inside the stretching walls of my body then he thrusts forward just as slowly. I gasp at the wonderful feeling. He sets a very slow ... very familiar in-and-out pace trying not to overwhelm me. I whimper and move my hips to meet each and every one of his gentle thrusts. After a few minutes, our need increases, and he speeds the pace marginally. He dips his head down and takes my nipple into his mouth and sucks on it gently, making it wet and hard. He nibbles on it lightly sending a jolt to where my body is joined with his. Then he swirls his tongue around the aching, sensitive bud, and I arch myself against his mouth. He kisses up my body from my chest all the way to my mouth, and I kiss him with a deep need. We increase the speed further as our hip bones collide almost painfully into each other. I feel an overwhelming, overpowering, all consuming orgasm approaching as our pace becomes wanton and frantic. He moves back, resting on his arms and slams into me with thrusts that push me down into the mattress. As he drives aggressively into me, I arch upwards, taking all of him deeply into my wet heat.

"Oh, God! I'm going to come, Tobias," I shout as his thrusts become piston like. "Don't stop. God! Don't stop!" Our breathing is fast and hard and a little irregular. He keeps up the impressive tempo as I slip over the edge. I swear I black out momentarily as my body quivers and convulses beneath his. I'm spasming almost uncontrollably around his impressive shaft when I feel him stretch me to what must be my limits. His magnificent body shudders above me, and then I feel his pulsing life flowing into me. He doesn't stop the frenzied writhing until he has released himself fully then he slows the rhythm and finally stops. He collapses on top of me, and I welcome his full weight. We both lie there panting hard. After a moment, he turns us on our side and wraps me up in his arms, kissing my forehead and top of my head. I tilt my head back and join my lips with his. I kiss him slowly, sensually.

"This may sound incredibly stupid but I'm so glad we didn't forget how to do that," I say, my breath still coming faster than normal. His silent laughter does something to our still joined bodies, and I clench my pelvic muscles absentmindedly, making him groan loudly.

"You're okay, right?" he asks. I can't really describe the look on his face but it isn't the joyous one I expected. "I got quite ... rough ... with you. I didn't mean to. You asked me to go slow. It had been so long ... I lost myself loving you. I'm so sorry, Tris." I smile brightly at him and run my fingertips lightly, lovingly down his cheek.

"You went slowly when I needed you to, and I appreciate it more than you know," I say, pulling his mouth to mine for a tender kiss. "But when the passion took over, our bodies let us know what we wanted, and we didn't want slow love making, we wanted passion, aggression, fire."

"I guess you're right," he says with a genuine smile on his face.

"_You_ are the one who taught me that there are different ways to make love. Sometimes oral pleasure will be enough for us, just like this morning. Other times one or both of us will want to go slow and make it last for hours. Then there will be times when the passion is overwhelming and a quick release will be what we crave." I feel my face getting warmer and warmer with each word. Here I am a married, pregnant woman, and I'm still uncomfortable talking about sex even with my husband.

"You are _so_ cute when you blush talking about sex," he says, kissing my neck.

"Tobias!" I moan. "I can't believe I was ever afraid of this." I grasp his shaft, which is still buried inside me. "You are gentle when I need you to be, and you are fiery and passionate when I want you to be. I wanted fire just now." I push him onto his back and move my legs to straddle his hips then sit up. He stares at the spot where our bodies are joined as I move myself slowly back and forth while grasping and releasing his hardening length in a slow rhythm. He moans loudly at me. "Tell me, Tobias. What do you want?" His eyes slowly climb my body and meet mine. They are dusky with yearning.

"Right now," he says, thrusting his hips upward causing me to gasp out loud, "I want to make love to my wife and make her come harder than she ever has." I move myself forward and put my hands on either side of his head as I set a satisfying rhythm for us. Every time I push back, he thrusts up, and a loud moan escapes both our mouths.

"Uh, uh, uh, Tobias, uh," I say over and over again as I increase the pace. I close my eyes and lose myself in the feelings as I make love to my soul mate, my best friend, my lover, my _husband_. He lifts his head and captures one swaying breast with his hot, wet mouth and the other with his sure hand. He sucks on my throbbing nipple while his hand gently caresses my aching breast. His other hand is exploring my body. The position I'm in has my nubbin making almost continuous contact with his pelvic bone, and I've already experienced a tremor of pleasure. I relax myself further, and I can feel a full-fledged earthquake approaching. Tobias' breathing becomes labored as we increase the pace again. He's bucking wildly beneath me as I crash down on him. I feel his hard length swell and start to throb as we come at the same time.

"Oh God! TTTOOOBBBIIIAAASSS! Shit, shit, _shit_!" I chant as my body shudders and tremors around his straining shaft, which is still moving hard in and out of me, flooding my body with his love for a second time within the hour. I collapse on top of him sated while he continues to hammer into my body. After a minute, then another, he slows and finally stops. I lie on top of him panting and gasping for much needed air while he pulls in lungful's himself.

"Damn. That was ... wow!" he says in my ear, wrapping his arms around me, tangling his fingers in my hair, and drawing my mouth to his. The kiss starts out fiery, full of passion then gives way to tenderness and romance. I think we've had enough for the moment. He puts his mouth up against my ear and says, "I love you, my wife." I shiver. I lean back a little and look into his loving eyes.

"I love you, Tobias," I say. "I'm not too heavy am I?" He shakes his head no. I prop my chin up on my hands and stare into his eyes. We don't say a word. We just gaze lovingly at one another. Before long his expression becomes serious, almost severe. I pull his face to mine, laying my forehead against his, and concentrate very hard.

"What are you doing?" he asks, sounding so grave.

"I'm trying to read your mind," I say, concentrating once again. He chuckles a little bit.

"You want to know what's on my mind I take it?" he asks.

"Always," I say.

"You," he says. "How did I get so lucky to find such a beautiful woman who loves me the way you do. I was trying to figure out what I did to deserve you. I must have done something right in the grand scheme of things to receive such a coveted prize. I love you Beatrice Grace Eaton ... with all my heart and soul. I may not exactly know what it means to be a husband but I will do everything within my power to be a good one and make sure that you live the happy life you deserve." His words pull at my heartstrings and bring tears to my eyes.

"I still don't get the way you see me," I say, the tears flowing down my cheeks and settling on his bare chest. "There is one thing that I understand though with all my heart. You love me the way I love _you_ ... unconditionally, fully, slightly irrationally. You are everything to me, Tobias Eaton. Without you, I would be nothing, I would have nothing. There would be a gaping hole in my soul that would never be filled. I'm honored that you call me your wife, and I will do everything within my power to give you a good life with me and our children. I will never intentionally hurt you. I will love you with everything I have for as long as both shall live." We chuckle. It's like we are saying wedding vows again.

"I love you, Tris," he says. "Turn around and look out the window." I roll off of him, and he gather's me up in his arms. The only light in the room at the moment is that coming from the city. It is an exceptional sight. I thought the way the buildings looked last night from the Ferris wheel was amazing but this is 10 times better.

"It's beautiful," I say. "Look! The Ferris wheel is lit up again tonight. I wonder if anyone is riding on it."

"It's a beautiful sight but not half as beautiful as what I'm looking at right now," he says. I look up into his face and his eyes are gliding up and down my naked body.

"You don't look half bad yourself," I say, reaching out and caressing the area above his sleeping manhood. I see it stir. "Is there a bathtub in this place?"

"As a matter of fact, there is," he says. "I looked at all the rooms trying to figure out which one I wanted for this week. You know what would be fun?" I shake my head no at him. "We should make love in every room of the lighthouse. _That_ would be fun."

"That _would_ be fun. How many rooms are there?" I ask, more than ready to play. We have 10 days ... _and_ nights.

"I don't know," he says. "We can count them, and then we can 'christen' each one of them."

"That sounds like a plan, my sweet, loving, _sexy_ husband," I say laying on him again and pressing my lips to his. This is going to be a _great_ honeymoon.


	37. Chapter 37

**A/N: I have some answers to a couple questions posed by some guests. First, I'll tell you that the honeymoon is several chapters long. They don't go back to the city until chapter 43 or 44. But I'm not going to say what he has planned. You'll just have to wait and see. Second, I had every intention of getting to initiation during this story but with everything that is going on and everything that's left to come there is no way that I will get to that until the next story (I already have storylines written down that will revolve around the initiates). Thanks again to all of you who read my story! Enjoy and see you Wednesday!**

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><p>The past 48 hours have been some of the most perfect in my entire life. We have no set schedule. We eat when we're hungry, sleep when we're tired, clean up when it's necessary, and make love when the mood hits, which quite honestly is most of the time. Tobias took me on a tour of the spectacular lighthouse, and we looked over each of the beautiful rooms. We counted 24 different places that we get to "christen," and we've gotten a good start, though our favorite spot is the beautiful big bed in the old lantern room at the very top of the lighthouse. That's where we spend most of our time. As a matter of fact, I'm lying naked with Tobias right now. We are both trying to catch our breath after making love twice already this morning.<p>

"You're tummy's getting bigger," he softly says when he can finally talk. He's lying with his head just below my breasts, caressing my expanding abdomen. "Hi, Peanut. It's Daddy. I hope you are happy in there. Your mommy and I can't wait to meet you. We love you so much."

"I love you, Tobias," I say, emotion thick in my voice. He lifts his head and looks into my teary eyes. He moves to hold me in his arms. "You're going to be such a wonderful father."

"Thank you," he says. "That is probably the kindest thing you've ever said to me."

"It's the truth," I say, pressing my lips to his. He moves away from me before the passion reignites.

"Are you ready for a honeymoon surprise?" he asks when I start to protest, which not only makes me smile but forgive him for pulling away from our kiss prematurely. I smile brightly at him.

"I never knew that I liked surprises until I met you," I say. "I know I sometimes complain but I don't actually mean it. So what's my surprise?"

"There is a street fair and a concert in Amity," he says. "They call it Strawberry Festival. It happens once a year and it happens to be today. There is also strawberry picking."

"A concert?" I say, excitement visible on my face. Everything he said sounds amazing but I've never seen live music before. "I've never been to a concert before."

"Neither have I," he says, kissing my cheek softly. "When I was planning our honeymoon, an Amity member reminded me that the festival was today. I thought it would be a perfect activity for us, something to get us out of bed and interacting with the real world. I thought we could have some strawberries for dessert tonight." We drag ourselves out of bed. While I'm showering, he fixes us breakfast. I put my hair in a simple French braid and put on some makeup for the first time in days. I go to the small closet and see what clothes he brought for me. I look at everything twice and don't recognize most of it. I pick out a very nice black with small white polka dot sleeveless sundress with a fitted button down bodice and full skirt that hits me at the knees. I decide to pair it with the black ballet flats instead of the 3 inch heels that are sitting next to them.

"Tobias," I say when I come out of the bathroom. He turns and looks my way. His eyes glide over me, and he smiles brightly. "Where did the clothes come from?"

"Do you like them?" he asks. "I thought you would like some new clothes for the honeymoon. I actually did all the shopping myself." He sounds very impressed with himself.

"All by yourself? Wow! I love them," I say, pulling his mouth to mine for a thank you kiss. "Pancakes!" He has a platter of pancakes and bacon and two glasses of milk on the table. As we sit down to eat breakfast, I ask, "Hey, have you heard from Zander or Stella? I feel really bad that we haven't checked on Tyler. I'm going to be a terrible mother."

"You are not," he says with a frown on his face. "We've been ... preoccupied." He gives me a shameless smile, and I blush from head to toe and shake my head at him. "Stella called while you were in the shower actually. Tyler's doing remarkably well but he misses us. I talked to him for a little bit. He asked for you and was disappointed you couldn't come to the phone but he seemed to understand. I told him you would call him before his bedtime." Disappointment and something else move through me. I wish I could have talked to him.

"I'm sorry I missed him," I say sadly. "Help me remember to call them around 7:30 p.m. tonight so I can tell him goodnight."

"You look beautiful, by the way," he says. "I love you."

"Thank you," I say with a smile. "I love you, too." We finish breakfast, and I clean up while he showers just like we do at home. The routine activity makes me feel more like myself. Just as I finish putting everything into the dishwasher, he comes out of the bathroom dressed in faded black jeans that hug his body making my mind go to X-rated activities, a skin tight dark gray t-shirt, and a black and gray striped button down shirt that he is wearing open. He looks fantastic but then again he always looks great. My mouth goes dry, and desire stirs just below my navel as he walks toward me.

"Wow," I say running my hands up and down his chest. "You look ... gorgeous." He picks me up, catching me off guard, and I laugh heartily. He puts his lips on mine cutting off the laughter and kisses me passionately. I tangle my fingers in his curls after I wrap my arms around his neck. After we come up for air, I breathlessly say, "Keep kissing me that way and we won't be going anywhere today except for upstairs to bed."

"That wouldn't be such a bad thing would it?" he says.

"No, it wouldn't," I say moving my mouth back to his but he shakes his head no, and I automatically pout. He sighs and kisses me again but breaks away too soon making _me_ sigh.

"We better get going," he says, sitting me on my feet. He takes my hand and leads me down the flights of stairs and out the lighthouse. It's about a mile and a half walk to the center of Amity but we are used to walking all over the huge Dauntless compound so the distance is nothing. I am glad I wore the flats though. My feet would be screaming at me by the time we got there. We walk hand-in-hand through a green field full of wildflowers then through a huge orchard of fruitless apple trees while talking about nothing important. We laugh together often. When we come out of the orchard, I see the buildings that make up Amity. In a way it kind of reminds me of Abnegation. All the buildings look exactly the same: Unpainted, weathered, rough-looking dark wood, except for the greenhouses, which are newer looking wide, short glass buildings that seem to be the polar opposite of the wooden structures. We walk down an alley and into the center of the faction, which for all intents and purposes is a city of its own. There are several vendors siting in make-shift booths lining both sides of the street. There are hundreds of people milling around wearing blue and white, black and white, red and yellow, and even a few who are wearing just black. I look down at my dress and hope no one mistakes me for a Candor. Then I laugh out loud at myself. I'm sure my _very_ Dauntless husband would dispel that thought quickly, not to mention the visible tattoos that I have. I see Tobias looking at me strangely.

"It's nothing," I say. "I was just being ... well, kind of stupid." He leans over and puts his lips to my ears making me shiver.

"You are never stupid," he says bringing a smile to my face. He kisses me softly but quickly then asks me what I want to do first.

"Let's start at one end of the street and visit each and every vendor," I say excitedly. He agrees and we keep walking in the direction we are heading trying to take everything in. We see booths selling every kind of handmade item you can imagine. There is jewelry, blankets, home decorating items, soaps, lotions, perfumes, clothes in different faction colors, candles, furniture, and so much more. Other booths are selling different food items from jarred applesauce to bags full of freshly popped popcorn and multiple flavors of fudge to freshly baked homemade pies in every flavor imaginable. There are even some vendors demonstrating their craft. Tobias and I stand for at least 15 minutes watching a young Amity girl who doesn't look as old as me with bright green eyes, flowing red hair, and countless freckles on her face and exposed limbs dip and shape candles. Tobias buys several dozen votives from her, he's that impressed.

I see a knit sweater in a black, dark gray, and light gray variegated pattern that I know will look awesome on Tobias so I ask him to go back a couple booths and get us some apple butter to put on our morning toast, and I buy the sweater as a Christmas gift. I hide it in the bottom of a bag holding two black maternity sundresses he bought me. I tried to talk him out of them but he insisted so I relented and let him spoil me. We are getting near the end of the street when something catches my eye, and I hurry over to it.

"Tobias, look at this," I say. We stand in front of the muted watercolor painting and stare in awe. "Should we?"

"Yes, we most definitely should," he says. We step around the corner and see a familiar face.

"Gunner," I say. I should have recognized his work but I've never seen any of his paintings before. "Hi. It's good to see you again."

"Well, well. Tris and Four. I didn't think I would be seeing you again so soon," he says with a friendly smile. I feel very at ease with him. He has such a laid back personality. "What can I do for you two?"

"We are interested in the lighthouse painting around the corner," Tobias says. We all go back and stand in front of the masterpiece. It's our honeymoon bed and breakfast depicted at sunset in its prime. The dark blue shimmering waters of Lake Michigan encompass the exquisite lighthouse, and the darkened skyline of the city is backlit by the brilliant pinks and oranges and the dark blues and grays of a beautiful sunset. The colors are subtle and muted like the rest of the painting but it's so beautiful. Looking closely in the background, I can even see The Navy Pier and our Ferris wheel. "How much is it?"

"Well for the two of you, how about 15 points," he says. "I was going to sell it for 25." We don't have to think twice.

"We'll take it," Tobias says. "Can it be delivered to Dauntless the week after next? We're on our honeymoon, and I would hate to damage it."

"I can arrange that," he say. "You know, I could actually deliver it and your wedding photos at the same time. Kill two birds with one stone as they say." I've never heard that before.

"That would be great," Tobias says. "We would appreciate it." Tobias takes the painting down from where it's being displayed, hand it Gunner, and we pay for it.

"I love it, Gunner," I say. "We are staying at the lighthouse."

"A reminder of your honeymoon," he says. "I'm glad I decided to pain it. I've never done one before, and I'll never do one exactly like it again. I like to keep my pieces one of a kind."

"Your work is ... breathtaking," I say. "You have a great talent and your pieces help make our apartment a home."

"That is the best compliment I've ever received," he says with a traditional Amity hug.

"Thank you again, Gunner," Tobias says, receiving a hug of his own. Tobias finds two kids who volunteer to carry our many bags to the lighthouse, and he promises them each a couple points' worth of candy when they return. We sit down on a vacant bench waiting for their return watching the action around us. When they return in record time, they tell us the caretaker took the bags and delivered them to our room. Tobias goes with them to pick out what candy they want, we thank them, and they run off.

"That was amazing," I quietly say. "I'm not sure Dauntless kids would have been so kind."

"Oh, they might have offered us a hand then they probably would have taken off with the bags never to be seen again," he says. He's probably right.

In a field just beyond the final buildings are several long wooden tables and benches where a wonderful smelling barbeque lunch is being served before the concert begins. We find a place to sit at one of the crowded tables then he goes to get us each a plate. I'm pouring us glasses of water out of the communal pitchers when I hear my name.

"Beatrice?" I look toward the sound of my full name, and I see Robert Black standing not six feet away from me.

"Robert," I say. It's all I _can_ say. I haven't seen him since his interrogation, and to tell the truth, I never really thought I would see him again.

"I thought that was you," he says, his voice a little sad, a little distant. "I'm sorry ..."

"You don't have to apologize to me for anything," I say interrupting him. "You didn't do anything wrong." The family sitting next to me finish eating then get up and walk away. "Would you like to join us? Four is getting us something to eat."

"Your boyfriend, right?" he says sitting down opposite of me.

"He's actually my husband now," I say with a smile. Shock settles in on his face.

"Wow! Congratulations," he says. "I saw him momentarily at Candor, before I was put under truth serum, didn't I? He was sitting with you, right?"

"Yes," I say.

"He looked very familiar to me," he says.

"Robert Black," Tobias says, putting a plate full of barbeque chicken, early sweet corn, potato salad, and a slice of strawberry pie in front of me then he sets one down for himself and sits down beside me. "I've been calling you. Why haven't you returned any of my messages? I want to talk to you about our brother."

"Tobias Eaton," he says, slightly shocked and _very_ confused. "Wait! _You're_ Four?"

"Yes," Tobias says, once again sounding like Four. I touch his Amity tattoo, and he smiles at me. "I was given the nickname Four shortly after I joined Dauntless." Good, he sounds like my husband again.

"I didn't know," Robert says. "I'm sorry I haven't called you back. I've been unavailable to take phone calls. I'm on probation of sorts for hiding out from the men who first came to talk to me. This is actually the first day I've been allowed out of my house. You want to talk about Jeffrey?"

"Very much so," he says. "I knew about my other siblings but not him. How did you find out he's your brother?" Robert looks like this is a difficult subject to talk about but he holds his head high and answers Tobias' questions.

"Jeffrey and I have been friends for as long as I can remember," he quietly says. "Almost two years ago, he got really sick. Everyone thought he was going to die. The doctors didn't know what was wrong with him. After numerous tests, he was finally diagnosed with leukemia, and his only hope for survival was a bone marrow transplant. His parents sat him down after hearing that news and said that the entire family would get tested but they knew that there was no chance there would be a match because they weren't his biological parents. That's when he found out he was adopted as a baby as was his younger brother and sister. But a miracle happened, Laurel was a perfect match. It turns out they have the same biological parents." I gasp. I look at Tobias, and I see the blood drain from his face, leaving him deathly pale. I think we just found his sister. "She donated her bone marrow, and he luckily went into remission. Once he got to feeling better, he started searching for their birth parents. When he was sick, I volunteered to be tested to see if I was a match just in case his family wasn't. The analyst made a mistake and told us we have the same biological father. That's how we learned that we are brothers and not just best friends."

"How did he come up with Evelyn's identity?" Tobias asks, barely above a whisper.

"He talked to several people," Robert says. "Did you know Abnegation people like to gossip? I didn't until this happened. It's one of the reasons I chose to leave. I had trouble being selfless all the time but at least I'm honest about it. Anyway, Jeffrey talked to numerous people and literally asked the right questions until he had my father with Evelyn Eaton and Natalie Prior on multiple occasions. Until Dad's interrogation confirmed Evelyn is his mother, we had no way of knowing short of asking your mom, Beatrice, and how does one do something like that. There is something I don't understand. I was told that Dad said he has five children. I know about Susan, Jeffrey, Laurel and, of course, me but who is his fifth child and who is his or her mother?" I look at Tobias, and he has a blank look on his face. He finally meets my eyes, and we communicate silently. Do we let him in on the secret? I don't see any harm in it so I nod slightly at him. I don't think it's right to keep Robert in the dark anymore.

"Tyler," Tobias says.

"I'm sorry?" Robert says, confusion once again filling his features.

"Four's little brother, Tyler, is your brother also, Robert," I say. "Remember, you met him at the park. I held my breath that day when you looked at him. I thought for sure you would see your father in his eyes."

"How is that possible?" he asks, stunned. "Your mother is dead."

"No, she's not," Tobias says. "As a matter of fact, she's in the hospital about ready to give birth again." Robert stares open-mouthed at him. "Tris and I are adopting the baby."

"Is my father the father?" he asks quietly.

"Yeah," Tobias says. "He is." We all sit quietly letting this new information sink in. I can't believe that we know who his little sister is. I remember Laurel Walsh. She has light hair and light eyes that match Mr. Black's with Evelyn's curls and olive complexion. She is quite the little beauty, and if I remember she has Tyler's disposition. I could see her spending a quiet life in Abnegation.

"Are you alright, Four?" I ask after there has been no conversation for some time.

"I don't know," he says. "I honestly didn't think I would ever know who she was, especially after thinking she was dead all that time." Robert starts to question what Tobias means when I shake my head at him. "Thanks for the information, Robert."

"You're welcome," he says. "I'm sorry but I have a previous engagement. I hope I was able to answer all your questions. It was nice seeing you again."

"You were very helpful," Tobias says. "If I have any more questions, I will get ahold of you. Thanks again."

"Congratulations on your marriage," he says getting up from the table. "You two look very good together and very happy."

"Thanks, we are very happy," I say at the same time Tobias says, "Thank you," then Robert walks away.

"Do you want to go back to the lighthouse?" I ask, certain he will be in a grumpy mood the rest of the day.

"No," he says with a warm smile on his face. "We still have the concert, love, unless you're wanting to get out of here." The look in his eyes tightens my tummy but mention of the concert excites me, too.

"Let's go to the concert," I say. Then I whisper in his ear, "We'll have all night when we get back to the lighthouse." He kisses me lightly on the mouth.

"That's why I love you," he says. "We let our lunch get cold."

"That's okay," I say taking a bite of the potato salad. "Everything is still really good."

"I can't believe I know where my sister is, Tris," he says. "There doesn't feel like there's a piece of me missing."

"I'm glad you know where all your brothers and sisters are now, Tobias," I say. We finish our lunch then head to the bandstand. Several people are finding places to sit and we do the same. We locate a rather large tree that has no one around it. I sit back against it, and he lies down on the ground with his head in my lap like so many other couples are doing. I play with his hair while we chat more about his sister. He remembers Laurel also. He definitely seems more at ease knowing that she's okay. I think that's all he's wanted since finding out she was in fact alive and given up for adoption. I wonder how the two babies that were given up ended up in the same household without the adoptive parents knowing.

We're talking about the wonderful vendors we encountered today when several Amity members carrying different instruments climb up the steps of the weathered bandstand, and the concert begins. For two solid hours we listen to all different kinds of music, some with vocals and some without. I'm mesmerized by the talent not 20 feet away from me. I'm also slightly jealous. Their happiness while they perform is obvious. I can't think of anything outside the bedroom that makes me as happy as they seem right now. Well that's not entirely true. Tobias makes me that happy all the time. Target practice makes me feel strong and centered but I've never thought it made me feel happy but it does. My friends make me happy as does my job. Tyler makes me almost as happy as his brother does. I change my mind. I'm not jealous.

When the concert ends, we go to the large field of strawberries to pick tonight's dessert. We watch two Erudite woman and imitate what they're doing since neither one of us have ever done anything like this before. When we're done, we have a few pounds of plump sweet juicy fresh strawberries to eat over the next few days.

"Are you ready to get back?" he asks. "We want to make sure we make it back before dark. I have a pretty good sense of direction but I'm not familiar enough with Amity. I wouldn't want to get us lost."

"I'm ready," I say, taking his hand. "Thank you so much for a wonderful day. It's been another perfect one. I'm keeping count by the way." He leans over and kisses me passionately but breaks away too soon for me. I notice we have a bit of an audience, and I blush brightly. We walk back through town the way we came, and when we reach the orchard, I feel eyes on me but when I look around, I don't see anything but I can't shake the uneasy feeling. I hear a snap of a twig and look to my right and lock eyes with the last person I wanted to see ... Peter.


	38. Chapter 38

Peter's green eyes leer at me from behind an apple tree, and his lips slowly turn up into an evil grin. Suddenly I'm back in the training room, and every vile thing he said and did comes rushing back to me. I feel his hot breath on my face. I feel his hands moving over me forcefully, unwantedly. I smell the stale alcohol on his repulsive breath. I remember the pain of his repeated beatings and the terror of his actions. My heart starts hammering painfully in my chest, my breathing completely stops for a moment before I find myself silently gasping for air, my stomach heaves making me wish I could throw up, and a nervous energy moves through my body making me sweat bullets. I stop dead in my tracks quick enough that I actually pull Tobias back a couple of steps. When he looks down at me to question what in the world I'm doing, he can tell that there is something terribly wrong.

"What is it, Tris?" he asks putting his hands on my shoulders and leaning down to look in my face. I'm still staring directly into Peter's amused eyes. I honestly don't know what he's doing. If Tobias gets ahold of him, he _will_ kill him, and there is nothing that I or anyone else could do to stop him. Why isn't he running? Why doesn't he seem to be afraid?

"Peter," I whisper, terror filling my quivering voice. Tobias' expression changes from worried to severe in an instant and he straightens up. He is no longer my loving, romantic, caring husband. He is guarded, heartless, unfeeling Four. He glares in the direction I'm staring, and I imagine he sees what I'm seeing. He removes his hands from my shoulders and takes off like a shot after Peter who finally decides it's in his best interest to run from my livid husband. My heavy legs give out, and I can no longer hold myself. I drop to the ground like a sack of potatoes. I wrap my arms comfortingly around my knees and rock back and forth trying to hold myself together. I feel tears streaming uncontrollably down my cheeks and sobs wracking my body. Suddenly I remember that just a couple days ago I swore I would never cry about this ... about _him_ ever again, and I plan to do everything within my power to keep that promise. I inhale deeply through my nose and exhale slowly out my mouth, and I feel the impossible happening ... I feel myself calming slightly and the tears drying up. I listen for sounds of someone's approach but I hear absolutely nothing but the subtle rustling of the apple tree leaves in the gentle breeze.

I'm not sure exactly what I should do. The sun will be setting very soon just like Tobias pointed out, and if I stay here waiting on his return and he doesn't come back, I may not be able to find my way out of the orchard, and I'll be stranded in a strange place until either daybreak or someone finds me. And it might not be Tobias or a friendly Amity person who finds me. That thought makes me shiver. And what about Tobias? How will he find his way back to me, back to the lighthouse? I have to remind myself that not 10 minutes ago he told me that he has a very good sense of direction. He could easily make it back to me but if he catches Peter, and manages to control himself, he'll be busy most of the night. I make the decision to get myself back to the lighthouse on my own. I'm a strong, independent woman; I know I can do this. I get myself to my feet, my legs slightly wobbly, ever aware of my surroundings. I listen for movement and keep my eyes peeled for Tobias ... or Peter just in case his plan is to double back and find me alone. I go over basic self-defense and everything that Tobias taught me during initiation while I keep vigilant watch around me. I practice mental punches and kicks while my feet carry me swiftly through the orchard. When I see the lighthouse off in the distance, I feel my body calm marginally. _I _need_ to get to the lighthouse, _I think to myself. I look across the empty field of wildflowers and see no one approaching so I walk and then sprint toward my safe haven. Within minutes I'm inside the lighthouse gasping for much needed air, and I am able to calm myself down even more. I sit at the small table in the eat-in kitchen of the bed and breakfast getting more and more anxious as the minutes on the clock tick by with no sign of Tobias. Both my legs are nervously bouncing up and down like an out of control jackhammer when I hear a sound at the door more than an hour later. Tobias rushes in with a panicked, severe look on his face but when he sees me sitting here, it softens immediately.

"You left me, Tobias," I say, barely above a whisper, pain spearing through my heart. I didn't even know his actions affected me this way. "I didn't know what to do so I came back here."

"Damn it," he says under his breath. "I am _so_ sorry, love." He takes two giant steps, kneels in front of me, and I'm suddenly wrapped in his strong, loving embrace. I can't help myself, I cling to him. "I am so sorry."

"I was so scared when I saw him," I say, trembling at the memory. I want to cry so bad right now but I do everything I can not to. "Did you find him?" I hold my breath awaiting his answer.

"No, he got away," he softly says. "He really knows his way around here."

"You need to call Dauntless right away and tell them he's been hiding out here," I say, still clinging to him. "He was wearing red and yellow."

"I'll do that," he says. "Tris, will you please look at me?" I let go of him and look into his worried yet apologetic eyes. "When I saw him, I lost it. All I could think about was what he tried to do to you that night and the fact that he put his hands on you ... again." He snarls thinking about the details of my attack. "When our eyes met, that bastard actually _smiled _at me. All the rage and helplessness I felt that night came back, and I didn't think. I wanted to get my hands on him. I never should have left you. I'm so sorry. Can you ever forgive me?"

"Tobias, there's nothing to forgive," I say. "Just don't _ever_ leave me like that again. What if Peter had ..." I can't bring myself to finish that thought. He wraps me tightly in his loving embrace once again, and he caresses my hair. I pull him to me needing to feel his closeness. "Let's go upstairs."

"Okay," he says. He reluctantly releases me after another minute, grabs our strawberries off the table, and takes my hand and leads me up to our suite. After he puts the berries in the small refrigerator, he calls Dauntless to update Will and Tori on Peter's whereabouts and instructs them to dispatch guards to hunt him down while I make my promised call to Tyler. He gets so excited when he hears my voice that I have to tell him to calm down. He tells me all about his stay with the Parrish's so far. I hear Stella in the background prompting him with their activities: Movie night Friday, swimming yesterday, and the park and ice cream today. He tells me he loves me and misses me, and he tells me to give Tobias a great big hug from him, at least that's what I _think_ he said. He also asks when we're coming home. He gets a bit upset when I tell him I'll see him in a week but he calms down when I tell him that all he has to do is go to sleep at night seven times and that on the eighth night we'll all be together. When I hear him yawning, I tell him goodnight but before he will hang up, I have to promise to call him every night from now on.

"Thanks again for taking care of Tyler for us, Stella," I say. "Oh, and thanks for letting Four know about the lighthouse. This place is … magical. Bye."

"How is he?" Tobias asks after I hang up.

"He seems really happy but he's missing us. I know I miss him," I say with a sigh. "Is it okay if we just go to bed?" He nods at me, and we slowly climb up to the bedroom that I have come to love almost as much as my own. We both strip out of our clothes. I feel Tobias' eyes on me while I slide out of my dress and let it land on the floor. I slip out of my shoes and get up on the bed. He joins me wearing only skimpy black boxer briefs that accentuates his impressive manhood and makes butterflies swarm in my tummy. "Will you please hold me? I always feel better ... safer when I'm in your arms, Tobias."

"Come here," he says. He lies back on the bed with his head propped up on several pillows, and I snuggle up against his side. We wrap our arms around each other tightly, and I tangle my legs with his. "Seeing him today really shook you up, didn't it?" I nod into his chest. We cling to each other not talking for what seems like hours. Actually, it probably is hours. We're watching the lights of the city burning brightly when they suddenly extinguish almost all at once. One minute I feel like a voyeur, observing the lives of countless others, and the next I feel like Tobias and I are the only ones left in this world.

"I should have asked you this sooner but people can't see in here, can they?" I ask.

"The windows are just like ours at home," he says with a chuckle. I feel his lips in my hair. That means we can see out but no one can see in. Good. I can't stomach the thought that Peter has been lurking somewhere, somehow watching our love making.

"I had a wonderful day today, Tobias," I say, looking up into his face. He looks at me skeptically. "I'm not lying. With the exception of running into _him_, it was wonderful. I'm ... no _we_ are going to forget that ever happened. I loved walking around Amity with you looking at all the booths full of craft items and homemade goodies. Watching that girl make the candles was amazing. I can't believe we found that painting. It's perfect! The food was delicious … even though we _did _let it get cold. The concert was so relaxing. I was jealous of the musician's for a moment before I reminded myself how good my life is even though I don't have a talent like that." His phone buzzes interrupting our conversation, and he glances at the screen.

"Sorry, it's Will," he says. "I think need to take this." He answers the phone but says next to nothing. He mostly listens to what Will has to say. "Thank you so much, Will." He hangs up and looks at me with a pleased smile on his now relaxed face. "They got Peter. He apparently has been hiding in the water filtration building on the outskirts of Amity. It looks like he's been there for weeks. He probably ran straight here after Zeke beat him up. They're escorting him back to Dauntless as we speak. They're going to lock him up, and we'll deal with him when we get home." He kisses my forehead. "Now we can relax and enjoy the time we have left on our honeymoon without worrying that we are going to see him again." The weight of the situation lifts when I hear this wonderful news and tears flood my eyes. I don't try to stop these. They are tears of joy. He lovingly caresses my cheek and wipes away the few tears that escape with his thumb.

"Don't worry," I say reassuringly, covering his hand with mine. "They're happy tears for once. I'm so glad he's finally been caught. I was beginning to think he never would."

"I have to be honest, I was thinking the same thing," he says. "It's a relief to know where he is. I knew we wouldn't be able to relax and enjoy ourselves the rest of our time here if he was still out there in Amity someplace."

"I'm glad you didn't do anything to hurt him," I say. "I worried about that when you ran off after him. We've been married for less than a week, and I thought you were going to make me a widow soon." He pulls me closer to him still and kisses away the tears that have gathered in my eyes.

"I really did scare you, didn't I?" he says. "I won't lie, I had murder on my mind when I took off after him, and if I had caught him, he would be dead right now, and I would have made it slow and painful. But I would have regretted it for the rest of my life because that one decision would have taken me away from you, and that is something I never _ever_ want to happen. I love you more than my own life." I back away from him and sit up.

"You can't leave me Tobias," I say. "You can't do that." He sits up and pulls me to him. He holds my face in his hands and looks at me very intensely.

"I will never leave you. I swear," he says. "I won't allow it." His mouth crashes into mine, and he kisses me aggressively. He lays me back on the bed and covers me with his body. We let our tongues dance a synchronized tango as our hands roam slowly, seductively over each other's body. He moves his mouth to my neck and kisses every sensitive spot twice before he trails kisses to my ravens. After he traces each one with the tip of his tongue, he moves his mouth to kiss all around my lace-covered aching breast. He kisses, licks, nips, and sucks through the fabric making me squirm beneath him. He turns his attention to the other breast and gives it the same pampered treatment making my body ache for him. He finally reaches underneath me and with one swift movement has my bra unhooked and is sliding it off my body, freeing my enlarged, stimulated breasts. He gently lifts each throbbing mound with his hands and buries his face in my cleavage. He kisses every spot and runs his one-day old beard over the sensitive skin, making me moan. He finally captures an erect, aching nipple in his mouth, and I involuntarily arch my body toward the contact. He sucks gently on it for a while, then circles it with the tip of his velvety soft tongue. When I can't breathe right, he actually sucks the nipple up between his teeth and nibbles on it lightly.

"Tobias," I moan, grasping his head and holding him tightly to my chest. He slides his tongue across my chest to my other pregnancy enlarged breast and treats it to the same sweet torture that he just gave the other. By the time he finishes, I'm soaked from head to toe in a thin layer of perspiration, my rapid breath is ragged and shallow, and my soaking wet womanhood is aching for him to fill me. He slowly moves down my trembling body and when he puts his hands on the waistband of my lace boy shorts, anticipation makes it even harder for me to breathe. He slowly pulls my underwear down my legs and off then tosses them away. He kisses the inside of my right knee then moves up and kisses the tender skin of my thigh. I feel his hot, moist breath on my most private area, and I let out a long, intense moan as he dives in. I arch off the bed at the contact and scream with pleasure but he doesn't stop. He wraps his arms around my legs, keeping me still and kisses, licks, sucks, and nibbles all around my entrance and my aching, sensitive nubbin. He grabs the bundle of nerves between his teeth causing me to groan and lightly sucks like it's his last meal. Every muscle in my body tenses and I stop breathing. I come up off the bed, hold his head to me making sure there is no way he can move, then draw in agonized lungful's of air. I scream his name once ... twice ... a third time as orgasm after orgasm surges through me.

"Inside me ... _now_ ... oh my God ... I need you now, Tobias ... NOW!" I manage to say between body-wracking jolts of pleasure. He releases his grip on my legs, moves up my body, and plunges himself into my depths with one driving thrust. I grasp his hips with my knees as he pounds into me with a primal rhythm as old as time. I move with him, meeting each of his powerful thrusts with one of my own. It doesn't take long before I am feeling the familiar stirrings of an approaching release. He increases our frenzied pace even further, and I slip over the edge and scream in fulfilment. He swells further inside me, hot and throbbing, then unloads his passion into my tight depths. I love this moment, the moment when we bring each other to completion. I am wholly his. He is wholly mine. We complete each other. He collapses on top of me and I smile. I don't know why his crushing weight doesn't bother me. Instead, it makes me feel safe, wanted. I wrap my legs around his hips and glide my fingers up and down his back. After a moment he raises up on a forearm, taking the weight off me.

"I love you," he says, his look severe.

"Is something wrong, Tobias?" I ask.

"Did I hurt you?" he asks slowly. I furrow my eyebrows and study his face.

"No," I slowly say wondering why he's asking me this question.

"Are you sure?" he asks. "It seemed like you were in pain. You screamed an awful lot." He's right. I'm not sure what the difference is between home and here except that I try to be quiet because of a toddler sleeping down the hallway. I don't think of myself as a screamer but I feel free to express what's going on in my body when we are making love to each other here. I smile at him, blushing deeply with embarrassment.

"I was thoroughly enjoying myself. _That_ is why I was screaming," I shyly say, hiding my bright red face. "I lost track of how many ... orgasms you gave me. Making love to you hurt only once and that was the first time. Know this, Tobias Eaton, if you _ever_ do something I don't want you to do or don't like or something that hurts, I will let you know immediately and make sure that you stop."

"Thanks for that," he says. "You certainly have become more ... vocal since we got married."

"I wonder if I'll always be this way." I say mostly to myself.

"As long as I know you're just having a good time, I don't mind. It was worrying me but now that I know you're okay, I kind of like it," he says with a sexy smile. "I love you, Tris."

"I love you, too," I say into his ear. "So much." I reach for him, and we make love again. This time isn't slow, sensual lovemaking either. It is need driven, passionate, and slightly rough. It seems like we aren't able to get enough of each other. I wonder if there hadn't been over a six week gap since the last time we made love if the deep need we are feeling for each other would exist. Who am I trying to kid? Of course it would be there. We love each other completely, deeply, passionately, and I know _I_ can't imagine a time when I won't want _this _... want _him_. When the desire goes from a raging fire to a slight simmer, we fall asleep in each other's arms with little more than a long, slow, loving goodnight kiss to cover us.


	39. Chapter 39

"Tris, love, wake up," I hear Tobias say in my ear but I really don't want to wake up. The past two days have been exhausting for me. We haven't stepped foot outside the lighthouse, and we have marked off nearly half the 24 rooms from our "christening" list. Just thinking about it makes me chuckle. Whoever has to clean up after us is going to have one hell of a job. I need to remember to tell Tobias to leave a hefty tip when we go home. By the time we leave, we'll have made love on every bed, in every shower, in every bathtub, and even on the one lonely couch. I giggle again. "What's so funny?" His warm breath sends a shiver down my spine.

"Nothing," I say rolling in his arms so I can look at his handsome face. Every time I see him after an absence, whether we've been apart for hours or just a few minutes, it's like looking at him for the first time. There's a catch in my breath, my heart rate increases, and my stomach tightens. "Good morning."

"Happy birthday, my _beautiful_ wife," he says handing me a small box.

"_Birthday_?" I say totally confused. How in the world could I have forgotten that today is my birthday? I remember making note of it when I looked in my file last year, April 13th.

"Yes, it's your birthday. You are officially 17 years old," he says then he makes a little face. "You're getting old." My eyes widen, and I practically tackle him and straddle his hips.

"You need to take that back, right now," I say.

"What are you going to do about it?" he says teasingly. I narrow my eyes at him and do the opposite of what he thinks I'm about to do. I get off of him, slide out of bed, and head toward the stairs.

"Hey, where do you think you are going, birthday girl?" he says with a pout. "You didn't even open my present."

"You give me too many presents, Tobias Eaton," I say but I turn around and climb back up on the bed. I take the box from him and open it. Nestled in the black velvet lining is an exquisite emerald and diamond ring. The heart-shaped emerald is surrounded by a thin white gold heart with tiny diamonds embedded in it. I look up at him.

"Those are our birthstones. Diamond for April and emerald for May," he says with a smile on his attractive face. I don't have to think about when his birthday is. It's May 6th. I take the ring out of its box and slide it on the ring finger of my right hand. I hold it up to look at it, and the light coming in through the windows catches it and throws prisms all over the bed.

"It's beautiful," I say. "Thank you so much." I give him a quick, sweet kiss. "Will we be getting dressed today?" I haven't had a stich of clothes on since Tobias took my bra and underwear off me Sunday night before we made love. I think back to a time when there was no way that we could have been nude around each other for more than a minute or two and now it seems like second nature.

"Unless you want to roam around Amity naked as the day you came into this world, which wouldn't bother _me_ in the least, I would say yes, clothes are necessary," he says with a happy, content gleam in his dark eyes. I run my hand down the side of his face and draw his mouth to mine. I kiss him softly, slowly.

"I love you, Tobias," I say against his mouth. I kiss him a little more before adding, "Thank you for my ring."

"I love you, too, Tris," he says. "Happy birthday, love, and happy one week anniversary."

"I love it when you're so happy," I say staring into his eyes.

"Well that should be all the time then because _you_ make me deliriously happy," he says. I lower my eyes and look at my newest ring.

"When you put your Four mask on you don't always seem happy," I say remembering several transformations. He puts his finger on my chin and tilts my head up until I have to look into his eyes.

"When I become Four, it's usually to protect myself. I know that I should never have to protect myself from you but I'm only human, and I make mistakes. But you _do_ make me happy ... _always_. That will never change." His explanation makes me smile.

"So what's on the agenda for today?" I ask, curiosity getting the best of me.

"We are going to explore Amity," he says. "I've heard of a couple places that are really nice. Why don't you get ready, and I'll pack a picnic lunch."

"Why don't we take a shower _together_ and then we can get ready for the day," I say. "I can keep my hands to myself. I'm doing it right now." I guess walking around the lighthouse naked for days has made is so I don't _have_ to touch him every time I see his perfect, bare, sculpted body but it doesn't mean that I don't want to.

"Okay," he says. "I think that sounds like a good idea." He returns his lips to mine and gives me a quick kiss. We finally drag ourselves out of the oversized, comfortable bed and go down one flight and take a quick shower ... well as quick of one as two people in a tiny shower can take. When we finally finish, we get dressed in comfortable clothes since he let me know there will be some walking. We both chose to wear black sweat pants, a sleeveless black t-shirt, and black and white running shoes. I decide to forgo makeup today and put my hair up in a messy knot while Tobias packs a picnic lunch of turkey sandwiches, potato salad, vegetable salad, and strawberries and fresh sweet whipped cream. He puts the food in a small soft pack cooler and places it and a few bottles of water in a backpack and slings it over his shoulder.

"Ready to go?" he asks.

"I am," I say excitedly. As much as I love staying in and making love to him, I have to admit, it will be nice to get outside. He takes me by the hand, and we walk down the stairs to the garage under the lighthouse.

"We're taking a truck to a certain spot I've heard about then we'll have to walk the rest of the way," he says after he opens the garage door. We get in the ancient faded blue truck ... I'm surprised it actually runs ... and pull out of the lighthouse. He leaves the truck running and closes the door then comes back. We take off down the bumpy road, which is in some desperate need of maintenance that Mel drove us in on the morning after our wedding. We drive until we come to a crossroads and turn left onto the road that will take us into Amity. Just before we reach the faction, we come to a Y in the road and veer off to the right on the clearly unmaintained road and go around the small village. We carefully take this dilapidated road as far as we can, about five miles until we come to a grove of trees. He pulls the truck off onto a small dirt road that I didn't even see until he turned onto it and parks. I get out and look around. A twinge of uneasiness descends upon me. I've never even dreamed about being this far out of the city before. I walk to the front of the truck to meet Tobias, and I wrap my arms around his, still looking around.

"What is it?" he asks, seeing the distressed look on my face.

"Is it safe?" I whisper.

"It sure is," he says kissing the top of my head. I relax at his words. "And I think you'll love it. As far as I know, it's a well-kept secret."

"How did you learn about it then?" I asks as we start hiking through the trees.

"Believe it or not, it was Zeke who told me about this place," he says. That does surprise me. "He dated a fence worker a year before he and Shauna finally got together. That's a story for another time." He smiles down into my face and any residual tension melts away. "He would come to the fence, and she would let him out, which is totally against the rules by the way. They were lucky that they never got caught because that action would have gotten them both immediately thrown out of Dauntless. Anyway, they would look for places to be alone. I would hate to think of how many places Zeke and ... hmm, I don't remember what her name anymore 'christened.' One day they were out wandering and stumbled upon what Zeke called an oasis, which is one of the largest, most complex words to ever cross his lips." We laugh heartily at the expense of his best friend. "When I told him about bringing you to Amity for our honeymoon, he let me in on this secret." We walk for about half an hour over semi rough terrain. He tells me about some more places that Zeke and his mystery ex-girlfriend discovered along the way. We walk through pine trees that reach so high I can't see the tops, yet others are just saplings, barely coming up to our knees. We climb over various-sized rocks protruding out of the earth, and we are careful not to fall over the huge roots providing nutrients to the beautiful trees. We even come to a sharp drop off, and I realize we are walking adjacent to what once was a huge flowing river. Now it's dry like the rivers in the city with the exception of a few puddles from where the rain we had yesterday gathered.

When we come out of the grove, we walk into a haven. Zeke wasn't exaggerating one bit. There is a huge pond filled with dark blue clear water surrounded by a green field filled with white, yellow, purple, and blue wildflowers. There's a run-down house and remnants of what looks like an old barn on the far side of the large pond indicating that at one time a family actually used to live here. There's a large dock leading out into the pond that looks surprisingly sturdy compared to the rest of the ramshackle structures.

"This is amazing," I whisper, still soaking in my surroundings. I turn and look at Tobias, and he's staring, mouth ajar, at the amazing sight in front of us. It's obvious this is the first time he's seen this spot also. I take two steps and lunge at him. He catches me and spins us around.

"_You're _amazing," he says putting his mouth on mine. We kiss, savoring the closeness of our bodies. I wrap my legs around his waist and grip his body tightly. "Do you want something to eat? I'm starving."

"Me too," I say. I unlock my legs as he bends over to sit me on my feet. He takes the backpack off and pulls a blanket out of one of its compartments and hands it to me. I move closer to the pond and spread the blanket out on the ground in the shade of one of the large trees. The sun is directly overhead beating down on this little meadow making the breeze a touch on the warm side. We sit on the blanket, and he unpacks the picnic lunch he prepared. We eat slowly, savoring each delicious bite. When we get to the strawberries and whipped cream, we take turns feeding them to each other. After every third or fourth bite, we lean into each other and taste the sweet berries on one another's tongues.

"What do you think it was like to live someplace like this?" he asks as I lounge with my head laying on his chest after we finish our romantic, leisurely lunch. I think about his question for a while and realize I have no answer. "Are you awake?"

"Yeah. I'm sorry. I was thinking about living in a place like this," I say. "I can't imagine it. I'm trying. The house reminds me a little of Mom and Dad's place, don't you think." I feel him lift his head.

"Yeah, it does look an awful lot like an Abnegation house," he says.

"We know what living in a house is like but what must it have been like before the Purity War. I know we learned about some of our history in upper levels so that we won't repeat it but they obviously keep a lot from us."

"I can't picture it either," he says. "It would be nice to have this much room for our family, don't you think? Each child could have their own room. There would be more if we added to our family."

"How many kids do you want, Tobias?" I ask, realizing we've never had this conversation before. What if he wants 10 kids?

"I've never thought about it really," he says. "I'd be satisfied with just the two ... or three if we get to adopt Tyler but who knows. A few years from now we might want another baby. What about you?"

"I never really thought about children at all before I met you so I'll be happy with two or six, if that's what we decide," I say.

"You want a brood like Zander and Stella have?" he asks with a chuckle. I roll over and rest my chin on my folded hands that are laying on his chest.

"I'm not sure how many kids we'll have but because we are starting our family so young, I want all the children we do decide to have to be born within the next five to seven years. Then once all the kids are out of the house we can walk around naked and make love when the mood strikes. We won't be too old to still enjoy each other." He starts laughing.

"That sounds like a great plan, Mrs. Eaton," he says still chuckling. I lean up and place my lips to his for a sweet kiss then return to my resting position. "There's something else we need to discuss, love, and I think now is as good a time as any. We really need to come up with a name for our daughter." My heart rate increases at the mention of our soon to be adopted baby girl.

"Do you have any names you like? B's and T's, right?" I ask. He smiles brightly at me. I think he's impressed that I remembered his idea about how to name the children.

"Yeah, I do," he says. "What about you?"

"I've been tossing around a few ideas," I say. "I like the names Bridget, Brennan, Bailey, and Brydie, and I also like Theresa, Thea, Toi, and Taya."

"That is quite a list but I think I can match it," he says, absentmindedly playing with a strand of hair that escaped my messy bun. "I like the name Taylor."

"No," I say interrupting him. "There are way too many Taylor's in Dauntless already and throughout the city for that matter. It's a nice name but we agreed, no popular names."

"You're right," he says. "What about Tessa, Taelyn, Tressa, or Tabitha. I also like the names Becca, Bronte, Brylie, and Bertha?"

"Bertha?" I say, my eyes bugging out of my head looking at him like he quite possibly lost his mind. "_No_."

"Okay," he says with a sarcastic smile, "no Taylor or Bertha. I was kidding about Bertha by the way. I veto Bailey and Theresa off your list."

"Alright," I say. "I like Taelyn, Tessa, and Brylie from your list. What are your favorites from mine?"

"Bridget definitely," he says. "I'm having a hard time choosing between Thea and Taya, probably because they sound a lot alike."

"So, do we throw the rest of the names out?" I ask.

"That sounds good to me," he says. "Where do we go from here? Taelyn, Brylie, Tessa, Thea, Taya, and Bridget. Well with the exception of Bridget and Tessa, it looks like we are leaning toward more unusual names."

"Does that shock you, _Four_?" I ask rolling my eyes at him. He moves and starts tickling my ribs. I roll to the side to get away from his torturous fingers. "Stop, stop, stop! I'm sorry!" I gasp for air as he laughs at me. "It seems to me that we truly like the T names better, so should we just get rid of Bridget and Brylie?"

"It's alright with me," he says with a winning smile. "I guess that means our children will always have names that begin with T's."

"Is that what you wanted?" I ask.

"I will admit my favorite name has always started with a T," he say.

"What is it?" I ask.

"I'm not sure it would be fair to tell you," he says. "It might influence your decision."

"Let's see. I really like the names Tessa and Taya," I say.

"So do I," he says, his captivating smile still in place.

"Tessa, huh?" I say.

"Yep," he says. "I absolutely love it."

"You sound like a girl right now, you do realize that," I say with a smirk on my face. He wiggles his fingers back and forth at me and I squeal. "No more tickling! You'll make me pee. Speaking of, your pregnant wife really needs to go." He rifles through the backpack and throws me a package with some toilet paper in it.

"You'll have to squat behind a tree," he says.

"This had the makings of a perfect day before you said that!" I say sarcastically. I get up and go into the grove just out of his line of sight but not far enough to lose my way. I quickly relieve myself and come back to him.

"Feel better?" he says.

"You have no idea," I say. "So Tessa what?"

"Tessa Natalie?" he asks.

"No, that sounds funny," I say. "Tessa Christina. Oh, that sounds even worse." I go through my friends and family but nothing sounds like it goes with the pretty first name.

"How about Tessa Beatrice?" he asks after we've been quite for a while.

"Tessa Beatrice Eaton," I say. I think about it for a moment. "I really like it, Tobias."

"I do, too," he says.

"Tessa Beatrice, get your butt in here," I yell, testing it out. "I think we just named our daughter." Emotion wells up and tears come into my eyes.

"Hey, no tears," he says, wiping away the ones that escape. "This is a happy thing."

"Hormones," I manage to croak. He smiles at me, and I lean my head against him and wait until the tears dry.

"Why don't we do some exploring," he says. "Zeke said the barn isn't safe. Obviously, it's falling down now but he went into the house, and the floorboards are sturdy. He also replaced all the rotten dock boards so we can take a dip later if you want to." So that's why the dock looks more secure than the rest of the buildings.

"We don't have our suits," I say suddenly picking up on what he just said.

"We don't need them," he says with a naughty sparkle in his eyes, kissing me on the cheek and taking off toward the house. Skinny dipping? I've never even thought about doing that. I look around me checking to see if I can spot anyone but we are totally alone. I decide to lower my inhibitions, and I catch up with him just in front of the cracked concrete stairs, which are miraculously still attached to the once yellow painted two-story house. It hasn't seen a new coat in a good hundred years or so, and there is more raw wood than paint. Tobias takes a tentative step and it luckily holds him. He continues up the two other steps and puts his foot on the weathered wrap-around front porch.

"Watch your step," he says holding his hand out to me. I reach out with a shaky hand and take it. "Don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you." I slowly and very carefully climb the stairs to stand with Tobias. I look out from the porch and take in the scenery from this perspective.

"I wouldn't mind having this view all the time," I say. He wraps his arm around my waist and looks in the same direction I'm looking.

"This would be something," he says. "I can imagine our children and grandchildren running around playing or swimming in the pond." At his words, I see exactly what he's picturing. I smile up at him, and he slowly lowers his mouth to mine. I turn in his arms, never taking my mouth off his. He pulls me close and thrusts his tongue into my open mouth and mates it with mine.

"Tobias," I moan when he moves his mouth to my neck. I tangle my fingers in his hair. "I thought we were going to explore the house." He straightens up and smiles at me with a sexy gleam in his eyes.

"You're right," he says. He cautiously opens the rough wooden door, and we carefully walk into the dimly lit and very dirty and dusty house. It looks like someone left one day and never came back. Walking through the still furnished living room makes me feel like I'm intruding into someone's personal space. We go into the kitchen, and there's still can goods in the cupboards and moldy, hard as a brick bread on the counter.

"This is unbelievable," I say then I start coughing. I know I shouldn't stay in here long because of the baby. I want a son or a daughter not a dust bunny.

"Look at this," he says. He holds up an old faded photograph he found tucked in between a set of canisters and the wall on the butcher block countertop. In it is a smiling older couple surrounded by several young children. "I'd say these are grandparents and their grandchildren."

"I wonder what happened to them," I say.

"I don't know," he says. "They look too old to have fought in the war but it's obvious they walked away from their home. It's sad really." We snoop around for a while until we've looked over everything on the first floor then go back outside.

"That was interesting," I say wiping the cobwebs I walked through off my arms. "I think I learned more about how people used to live by walking through that house than I did in all the years I attended school."

"Want to take a dip?" he asks as we approach the dock.

"With nothing on?" I ask hesitantly.

"Nothing but water," he says with a sexy grin. I return his smile then roll my eyes at him. He takes his shirt off over his head and tosses it to the ground then moves his hands to the waistband of his sweatpants. I decide to throw caution to the wind and peel my shirt off over my head and put it with his. This action is rewarded with a brilliant smile from my husband. I take my pants off as I watch Tobias reach down and take his boxer briefs off then I take off my bra and underwear. He takes my hand, and we run down the surprisingly smooth dock and jump into the cool water. We both come to the surface at the same time and start laughing. The water feels like a gentle caress against my naked body as I swim around. The unseasonably warm spring has made the pond the perfect temperature. It's not cold enough that we freeze, and it's a nice contrast to the warm sunny day. We chase each other around the pond laughing almost constantly. We splash each other while trying to evade the other's assault. When I'm tired of playing, I swim up to him and wrap my arms around his neck. I kiss him soundly, which isn't easy while treading water. He runs a hand over my body and a shiver runs down my spine.

"Let's get out," he huskily says.

"Okay," I say. We swim to the dock, and he gets out of the pond then helps me. The warm breeze brings goose bumps out on my skin, and he wraps his arms around me. I'm sure he means to warm me up but the contact of our wet, naked bodies sends another shiver down my spine from the desire that's building just below my navel. I glance up at him, and he has the same look in his eyes. He sweeps me up in his strong arms and puts his mouth on mine. He kisses me passionately until he lowers himself to his knees while I'm still in his arms then lays me down on our picnic blanket. He lies beside me and starts softly kissing my neck. His left hand slowly moves down my body. He kneads my sore breast gently and I moan. He leans back and moves his hand up to my face. He caresses my cheek as he intensely stares into my eyes.

"I want to make love to you so bad right now," he roughly says, "but I would understand if you would like to go back to the lighthouse. I don't want us going too far if you feel uncomfortable."

"Make love to me," I say, not wanting to stop ... _never _wanting to stop. I wrap my arms around his neck and pull him to me. His smiling mouth gently meets mine. We kiss slowly, letting the passion build. He rolls us when I push against his chest. I move my mouth to his neck and kiss the hollow in his throat. "Relax and let me love you, Tobias." He lies back, and I kiss every inch of his damp neck and then move to his shoulders. I love how strong they feel under my small hands and delicate lips. As I move lower on his body, a familiar aching desire begins between my legs and starts spreading outward. I kiss the tattoo that overlies his heart, and I feel his hands on my back.

"I love you," he moans when my lips capture his nipple and dragnet into my mouth. I suck on the bud until it is hard then I nibble a little bit before swirling my tongue all around it. I hear his breathing become increasingly labored.

"I love you," I say as I trail my tongue to his other nipple, which is already distended and wanting my attention. I slowly move my hand down his body and wrap it around his hard manhood. I slowly stroke his length as I wrap my lips around his sensitive, hard bud. He groans at the attention I'm giving his gorgeous body. I play with his nipples for a little while longer then move down his body placing sweet kisses along the way.

"Tris, God, you're _killing _me," he hoarsely says. I run my tongue up and down his pulsating shaft then take him into my mouth. "Shit. Damn. Oh, God!" He puts his hands on the back of my head as I start moving up and down faster, taking more of him into my mouth. The synchronized rhythm of my mouth, tongue, and hands increases further, and I feel him swell. He groans loudly and thrusts his hips upward in time with my downward lunges. He chants, "Oh, oh, oh," over and over right before he tenses and releases himself with a loud grunt. I continue stroking him with my hand as he fully empties himself into my mouth. When I know he's finished, I start kissing my way up his body until I'm lying flat on him, kissing him almost ferociously.

He rolls us until he's on top of me. He takes his time kissing my ear, sticking just the tip in until I'm writhing beneath him. He moves slowly down my body kissing every inch; he kisses my neck, my shoulders, my collar bones, my ravens, and then he stops at my aching breasts. I try to calm my racing heart and slow my ragged breathing but when his tongue slips out of his hot mouth and laps at my throbbing nipple, a jolt of pure pleasure makes me see stars. The warm breeze blowing over my body makes me shiver slightly at the cool sensation everywhere he has been licking but especially my hard, sensitive nipples. I grip his head tightly, and hold him close to my chest. He captures my breast in his hand and strokes it lovingly as he works his tongue around the sensitive peak. When he nibbles lightly, I feel it between my parted thighs. He moves his lips across my heaving chest and takes my other breast in his mouth.

"Oh, God!" I moan. He plays with my nipple until I don't think I can take anymore then slides farther down and settles between my outstretched legs. "I want your mouth on me." I'm not usually this bold but I feel like lava is boiling in my veins and I _need_ him ... _NOW_. He kisses under my breasts, then the bottom of my ribcage. He French kisses my navel then kisses my expanding belly. I move my legs farther apart giving his full access to my aching womanhood. He runs his moist, hot tongue up my opening and across my nubbin and I groan loudly. He kisses my thighs and my pelvic bones then all around my opening. I feel him slowly thrust one finger into my moist entrance and I gasp. He moves his finger in and out slowly while he teases all around the aching bundle of nerves. I tangle my fingers in his hair and grasp him to me. Finally, he enters a second finger into my tight depths then sucks my nubbin into his hot mouth. He nibbles on it gently as he increases the pace he set with his fingers. The heat of the situation has my blood boiling, and I feel the imminent eruption approaching. He sucks on the sensitive flesh like it's the best thing he's ever tasted and I explode. I force his face closer to me as the surge of power arches my body off the ground.

He abruptly removes his fingers from my body and his mouth from the sensitive button. He moves up my body, and while I'm coming down from the heights he just took me to he gently turns me over onto my tummy. I look at him over my shoulder, my chest heaving.

"Trust me?" he says roughly.

"Always," I say breathlessly. He spreads my legs wide, and I feel him place himself at my moist entrance. He moves his hips forward and slides into me fully with one powerful, steady plunge, and it's unlike any other time we've made love. I gasp at the different sensations I'm feeling. Everything is the same yet completely different. I feel him touching me deep inside, filling me but the sensation seems wrong, not bad just different. He lowers himself so that he is covering me and starts a slow in-and-out pace. He puts his hands over mine and laces our fingers together and kisses the spot beneath my left ear. "Oh, God! It's _so_ good, Tobias." He continues to kiss the side of my neck and my ear as he increases his pace. I move my hips back to meet every one of his powerful thrusts, and it makes me gasp. I feel his need increasing as he quickens the pace even further. He moves back and pulls me up so that I am on my hands and knees. He puts his hands on my hips and thrusts into me, making me cry out with each deep penetration. I hang my head, and he kisses the back of my neck as he pounds in to me over and over again. I feel him mold his body to mine and slide his right hand around and start gently circling my nubbin with his callused finger. My orgasm approaches quickly with his added touch. I'm breathing so hard it actually hurts my lungs. I feel him stretch my walls further, and I know that his orgasm is approaching. I force myself to relax and immediately fall over the cliff that I've been climbing. _"OH GOD, TOBIAS! I'M COMING!"_ My body shivers, shakes, then clamps down on his invading shaft. If anyone is around they are sure to hear my screams of ecstasy. I feel my body clench down further on his invading length, which is pistoning in and out of me at an impressive rate making him come.

"Oh, oh, _uh_," he says in my ear and I feel him release in my depths. He keeps up this pace until he is spent, and then we collapse onto the hard ground, him fully covering my body. He immediately pulls out of me and rolls over, his lungs heaving as he gasps for air. I lay on my tummy trying to catch my breath, too exhausted to move. I turn my head to the right and see that he is staring at me. After our breathing returns to normal, I smile brightly at him and move to kiss him lightly on the lips.

"I love you," I say.

"I love you, too," he says.

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><p><strong>AN: I hope you like her name. I had a totally different one picked out but my mom and I were shopping the other day and talking about family names. Tessa Beatrice was my great grandmother's name, and I felt it went well with this story so I changed the baby's name at the last minute! Hopefully along the way I'll get to use the other one for something. **

**I have one thing to tell you. I got a new Surface for myself and I absolutely love it. It's made writing away from my desktop easier but it has an interesting quality. It has an autocorrect feature that likes to change things and it's driving me a little batty. So if you see Tris' name as Trish it means I didn't catch and correct that particular autocorrect. That's the only one I can remember at the moment but there are others!**

**As always, thank you for reading my story! See you Sunday!**


	40. Chapter 40

**A/N: I wanted to let you know that I added a couple links to my profile for Tris' engagement and wedding ring and her new birthday ring in case you want to take a look. **

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><p>We lie naked on the blanket staring into each other's eyes until we realize that if we don't leave soon we'll be wandering in the grove of trees after dark. Tobias gets up and jogs over to the mouth of the dock on the other side of the pond to retrieve our clothes where we hastily took them off. He carries them back to me, and we get dressed in silence. He picks up the damp blanket, folds it, and tucks it neatly into one of the backpack's pockets then hands me one of the waters. I drink it right down and return the empty bottle to him. He puts it in a side pocket then swings me up in his arms again, surprising me. He kisses me energetically as he starts walking in the direction of our borrowed truck. After he stumbles slightly, I convince him to put me down. He starts to protest but I remind him that he really doesn't want to drop me, not in my condition, and he sits me right down. We walk back to the truck being just as careful as we were on our morning journey but it doesn't seem like it takes as long as it did the first hike. I guess that's because we know where we're going tonight. My stomach starts growling on our way back to the lighthouse, and I feel Tobias' eyes on me.<p>

"Hungry?" he asks.

"Starving actually," I say with a slight blush. "I think I worked off lunch." I hear him chuckling beside me.

"What sounds good?" he asks.

"I know the kitchen probably doesn't have the ingredients but spaghetti and meatballs sounds great," I say with a sigh, my stomach growling loudly once again.

"I know you so well," he says with humor in his voice. "I had the lighthouse keeper get all the ingredients for me so I can make you a nice birthday supper." A smile lights up my face.

"Thank you, Tobias," I say. "Do you have any other surprises?" I look at the beautiful heart-shaped emerald and diamond ring on my right hand.

"Maybe I do," he says with a chuckle.

"Tobias," I say with a sigh. "Do I have to put my foot down? I don't _need_ all these gifts. It doesn't mean I don't appreciate them but you have to stop _spoiling_ me."

"I like spoiling you," he says as we pull up in front of the lighthouse. I slide over next to him.

"You don't have to buy me expensive gifts to say you love me. I _know_ you love me. You show me in so many different ways every day. When you give me jewelry and I haven't given you anything in return or I give you a _shirt _or something, it makes me feel bad about myself ... that I'm not doing enough to show _you_ how much I love you," I say.

"I had no idea you felt that way," he says reaching out and putting his hands on either side of my face. "I never meant to make you feel bad about yourself. You make me feel loved every single minute of every single day. You don't have to give me gifts. You give yourself to me, which is all I ever want." I raise my eyebrows at him. "I understand, and I'm sorry." He slides one hand down my cheek as the other pulls my mouth to his. He kisses me with a deep need.

"I love you," I say.

"I love you, too," he says. He gets out of the truck and puts the garage door up. I slide over into the driver's seat and pull into the stall, and Tobias puts the door back down. We walk into the lighthouse, and I take the backpack up to our room to unload its contents while he steps into the shower. After he's done, I take a quick shower then I put on a backless, V-neck black halter sundress, put some light makeup on, and style my hair. I start down the stairs when I think about something. I return to the closet in the bathroom and take out my infinity wedding earrings, bracelet, and necklace. He's already given me the gifts, I might as well wear them. I'm still a couple flights from the kitchen when I smell the garlic, onions, basil and tomatoes of the homemade spaghetti sauce, and my stomach lets me know how hungry I am.

"That smells so good," I say as I walk into the kitchen. We both had the same idea and dressed up for dinner. He looks dashing in a pair of black dress pants and a short sleeved black and red pinstripe henley. He turns and looks at me then does a double take and stops stirring the sauce.

"Wow! You look amazing," he says sliding his eyes from the top of my head to the tips of my toes making me blush. I wonder if I will always blush when he looks at me like this.

"You don't look half bad yourself," I say. "What can I do?" He picks me up and sits me on the counter on the left side of the industrial stove.

"It's your birthday," he says. "You don't have to do anything but sit there looking pretty." I smile at his compliment, and he puts his smiling lips on mine and quickly kisses me. I like where I'm sitting watching him work. He is very handy in the kitchen.

"If you don't want to answer this, I'll understand," I say. "Did you cook at home in Abnegation when you were growing up? Your skill level is very impressive. I love watching you cook. I find it very sexy." He takes a deep breath but doesn't look my way.

"I did all the cooking after Evelyn left," he says. "I thoroughly enjoyed it actually. Marcus never once complained about what I fixed, and it really was the only time I wasn't scared of him. They aren't exactly happy memories but they are probably the best ones I have of my father." I watch him for a while, neither one of us saying a word. "You really find this sexy?" I notice he's looking at me out of the corner of his eyes while he's shaping the meatballs.

"Extremely," I say. "I remember a time I practically attacked you while you were making soup."

"I remember that," he says with a gleam in his darkening eyes. "There was no practically to it. You attacked me in the kitchen and drug me to the couch. You were very aggressive that night." I lean toward him.

"You loved it and you know it," I say.

"I did," he says. "It was the first time _you_ took control, and it was also the first time we made love twice in the same day. I remember it well."

"I remember it too," I say feeling a familiar tingle between my legs thinking about our past lovemaking. "I told you, it's sexy when you cook." I put my lips on is ear. "It turns me on." He turns his head and kisses me deeply, passionately. "Kiss me like that again, and I will be attacking you tonight."

"Promise?" he says with a wink.

"Tobias Eaton!" I say. "Behave."

"Okay," he says. "I'll behave ... for now." I shake my head at him. He puts the freshly formed meatballs in the oven then cuts the salad up and dresses it. He puts it and the ingredients back into the large refrigerator. He moves over in front of me and runs his hands up my bare legs and under my dress. "Have you had a good birthday?"

"So far," I say with a smile. "But it's still early." I lean up and wrap my arms around his neck. "I'm sure you have another present for me." He looks slightly confused.

"You just told me not two hours ago that you don't want any more gifts," he says. "You're confusing me, Tris." I run my hands down his back and grab his backside and roughly pull him close to me. Then I boldly move my hand between us and cup his manhood, which reacts immediately to my touch.

"I thought maybe you would like to give _this_ to me," I say. I remove my hand and he picks me up and carries us to the table. He sits down on one of the chairs, and I straddle his lap. He kisses me passionately as I slowly grind my hips back and forth over his. He groans into my open mouth. I press my small body into his, and he puts his hands into my hair and pulls my head back exposing my neck. He runs his tongue from my collar bone up to my ear making me moan.

"Tris, love, we really need to stop," he says, his mouth still on my neck. "If we don't, I'm not going to be able to." I'm still moving against him, and I feel him lengthening, hardening. He groans loudly in my ear, and I move back but I don't get off his lap. I slowly lower his zipper, prolonging his agony, and reach into his pants and free his hard, pulsating shaft. I lift my dress and move my panties to the side. I firmly grasp his manhood in my small hand and place it at my entrance then lower myself letting him enter me fully. I move up until he almost slips out of me then let gravity move me back down and start kissing him ferociously, the need overwhelming me. He starts aggressively thrusting his hips upward as I grind my hips downward into his. I quicken our pace and synchronize the rhythm of our love to my tongue in his mouth. We move together fluidly until I feel him stiffen and flood my depths as my body tenses, and I spasm around his length, which is still moving within me. When we stop, I kiss him softly.

"I didn't mean to do that," I say, my lips still moving with his.

"You lie," he says with a chuckle. I move off his length and straighten my clothes as he resituates himself.

"Maybe," I say. "I warned you though, Tobias. When I watch you cook, I'm the one who heats up. I'm going to go freshen up." I turn to go use one of the bathrooms on the first floor of the tower. I look over my shoulder at him. "That was fantastic by the way, and we just crossed off room 21."

"Go clean up, Mrs. Eaton," he says. "Maybe after supper we can have round number three." I move back to him, throw my arms around his neck and draw his mouth to mine. I kiss him passionately until we both are gasping for air.

"Have I ever told you that when you call me Mrs. Eaton I have the strongest desire to rip off all your clothes?" I ask with a coy smile.

"I'll remember that, Mrs. Eaton," he says right before his mouth collides with mine again.

"I need to clean up," I say after I finally manage to pull myself away from him. He lets me go, and I run up the stairs. I clean myself up and am back downstairs in less than five minutes.

"You're beautiful," he says when he sees me walk into the room. He comes up to me and lightly kisses my neck and sighs.

"If the timer goes off while I'm gone, will you take the meatballs out of the oven and put them in the sauce?" he asks.

"Of course," I say. He flies up the stairs, and I sit down at the table. I get my phone out to call Tyler.

"Hello," Stella says on the other end of the line.

"Hey, Stella," I say. "It's Tris."

"Tris! Happy birthday," she says surprising me. I wonder how she knew when _I_ forgot.

"Thanks," I say. "How did you know?"

"Four told us before you guys left," she says. "We just got done with supper. I'm afraid Tyler went to the arcade with Avery, Zane, and the twins. He's going to be sorry he missed your call."

"How is he really doing?" I ask. Stella and I haven't had an in-depth conversation since the honeymoon started. We've only said a few words then I talk to Tyler.

"He is doing very well but he misses you like crazy," she says. "And Four, too. He keeps asking when he'll see you again. He's been no trouble whatsoever."

"We took too long of a honeymoon," I say with a sigh.

"No, you didn't," she sternly says. "You two deserve time to yourselves. He'll be fine. He's a very happy boy and a joy to have around the house."

"You're so kind to keep him for so long while we're away," I say. "I never asked about his visit with Evelyn on Monday. How did that go?" There is silence on the other end of the phone. "Stella? Are you still there?"

"Yeah, I am," she slowly says. "Four's mother is something else, isn't she?"

"What did she do?" I say with a sigh.

"The entire 30 minute visit she made small ... passive aggressive is the only way I know how to describe it ... comments to Tyler and me," she says sounding almost apologetic. "He would hardly look at her and when he did, it was with a huge frown on his little face. I've never seen him look so unhappy. I honestly thought you were exaggerating when you said he's struggling with seeing his mother again. Think about this, he would rather sit on _my_ lap than on hers – his own mother."

"He sat on her lap? That's progress," I say with an ache in my heart and a twinge of jealousy. Then guilt descends on me unlike it has ever before. I have to remind myself I have no right to be jealous of his relationship with his mother.

"She practically forced him to sit on her lap for a couple minutes but he was restless the entire time," she says. "He got down the moment she let him and came running over to me. She gave me a very hateful look." I can picture the one Stella is talking about. I've seen it numerous times myself.

"She was just jealous," I say. "She doesn't like that he has gotten so close to me and Four."

"I'd say she's definitely jealous of you," she says. "She doesn't speak very kindly of you. Does your husband know his mother treats you that way?"

"Yeah, he does," I say with a groan. "She especially is jealous of my relationship with Tyler." Tobias comes back into the kitchen just as the timer for the meatballs goes off.

"A woman named Sheila talked to me about Tyler," she says.

"What did she want to know?" I say.

"She asked my opinion of his care and wellbeing in your custody," she says. "She asked if I had witnessed a change in him. She also asked a lot of questions about you and Four." I know I probably shouldn't but I do it anyway.

"Did she say anything about adoption?" I quietly ask. Tobias looks over his shoulder at me and furrows his eyebrows.

"You know about that?" she asks sounding relieved. "I didn't think I should mention that but yes she asked me my opinion of you and Four adopting Tyler. She asked if I thought you were _suitable_. Of course I told her _yes_. You two are wise beyond your years and the most caring people I've met at Dauntless ... in the city, and that is exactly what I told her. Tyler loves you and after witnessing his interaction with his mother I also told her that I didn't think Evelyn was the right person for him to be with."

"Thank you, Stella," I say, fighting back tears. "We appreciate it. I have to go. Four is putting dinner on the table. Tell Tyler we love him and miss him terribly. I'll call again tomorrow night. Thanks again ... for everything." I switch off my phone and set it aside.

"I take it you didn't get to talk to Tyler," he says as he puts the last platter of food on the table in front of me.

"No," I say. "He went with Avery, Zane, Nash, and Nya to the arcade. I miss him terribly, Tobias."

"I do too," he says. "I didn't know I would this bad though. It's like a piece of me is missing."

"That's exactly how I feel," I say.

"Do you want to go home early?" he asks sitting down in the chair next to mine. We have four nights and an additional morning left here, our own personal paradise.

"As much as I miss him, I can't stand the thought of giving up our alone time and leaving here," I say. "Is that selfish of me?"

"If you're being selfish then so am I," he says. "We need this time just the two of us. I want to stay here with you. I want to talk, laugh, play, make love."

"Right now," I say running my hand suggestively down his chest and resting it on his inner thigh, "I want to eat." I smile widely at him, and we laugh heartily together. I lean forward and kiss him passionately but quickly.

"Keep kissing me like that and you're not going to get any food because I'll carry you up six flights of stairs and make love to you again." I lean forward and look him squarely in the eyes.

"Feed me, Tobias," I say just as my stomach rumbles loudly.

"Okay, okay!" he says. "You don't have to ask again." He dishes up some spaghetti and places it on both plates then tops it with plenty of meatballs in the rich tomato sauce. Then he gives us both a bowl of salad and a piece of garlic bread.

"Sheila called while you were upstairs earlier," he says looking at me. I can tell he's debating whether to tell me what he knows. "From what I overheard of your conversation, I take it she talked to Stella about us."

"Yeah," I say, "she did. What did she tell you, Tobias?" My heart starts hammering in my chest.

"One decision has been made," he says. "Evelyn's parental rights are being terminated by the city. It doesn't matter how many children she gives birth to, they will all be given up for adoption from now on. Sheila told me the main reason they are doing so is because she is factionless and can't care for children properly but she also told me that she doesn't like her influence on Tyler. She thinks we are better candidates for giving Tyler the love and upbringing he deserves." My fork slips out of my hand and clatters on the plate.

"Is he going to be ours?" I whisper, emotion taking over.

"When Ethan Black signs over his parental rights, we will be Tyler's parents," he says with a bright smile on his face. I start sobbing. He pulls me onto his lap. I wrap myself around him and cry into chest making his shirt wet. I can't believe that my dreams have come true, and I finally get to call myself Tyler's mother. The wording sounds so right but more importantly, it _feels_ right. When the tears finally stop, I kiss Tobias passionately. He moves his mouth to my neck, and my stomach growls and we both start laughing. I move back to my chair after giving him another quick kiss.

"I love you," I say. "I can't believe this is happening. He's actually going to be ours."

"I know," he says. "This news couldn't have come on a better day. Happy birthday. You were right, I had one more birthday present for you." We eat slowly, savoring each wonderful bite talking more about Tyler. We decide not to say anything to him until all the paperwork has been finalized, and then when he is officially Tyler Aaron Prior-Eaton, we will tell him. After a few minutes the conversation drifts on to another subject, cooking in Abnegation. We both, at times, miss the simple foods and actually prefer them in certain situations, like when we're under the weather. He confides in me that Evelyn taught him early on all the basics when it came to cooking, and that Marcus never stepped foot in the kitchen. He elaborates on the happy feelings he has associated with cooking and tells me he would slow cook everything, extending the amount of time he spent in the kitchen. That was the only time he felt safe in Marcus' home. I notice that he never calls the house he grew up in _his_ home, it's always his father's. It makes my heart ache for him, and I silently pledge to always give him the home he deserves. When we finish the wonderful birthday dinner, I volunteer to help him clean up the kitchen but he won't hear it. He lifts me up and sits me down where I sat earlier, and I watch him move around the kitchen, cleaning everything up.

When he puts the last dish in the dishwasher he turns the harsh overhead lighting off and comes to me and helps me down off the counter. I hold my hand out to him and lead him up the six flights of stairs to our bedroom on the top level. When we reach the bed, I pull him to me. I kiss him passionately for a time.

"I would like one last birthday present from you tonight, Tobias Eaton," I say. "Will you please make love to me?" He picks me up and lays me down in the middle of the bed and lies down beside me. He kisses me slowly. I feel his feather light touch roaming over my body and goosebumps appear on my flesh as a shiver runs down my spine. He reaches up and unties the ties of my halter neckline and pulls it down, exposing my lingerie-covered chest for him to play with. He covers one breast with his tender touch and kneads gently. He moves his mouth to my neck and kisses around my left ear. I close my eyes and enjoy the feeling of his lips moving against my sensitive skin. He moves away from me and pulls my dress down and off of me, leaving me in only my bra and underwear. I sit up and pull his shirt off over his head then push him back. I move my sure hands to his waistband and unbutton his pants and move them down his hips until they are laying on the floor with the rest of our discarded clothes. I cover his body with my own, and he immediately rolls so that he is lying on top of me again. He moves his hands over every inch of my body as his lips follow along. My hands are clutching at his back, trying to get him to move closer to me still. When he first laid me on this bed, I thought I wanted him to go slow but as the passion reaches the boiling point I start tugging at his underwear. He looks into my eyes.

"Tobias! _Now!_ I need you inside me _now,_" I say. He reaches down and removes his underwear then slides mine off. He lays down on top of me and enters me swiftly with one driving thrust. I moan with deep satisfaction when I feel him fill me fully. He starts kissing me passionately as we move together with a synchronized rhythm. He wastes no time increasing the tempo. He lowers himself fully so I can feel his entire weight, rocking against me over and over. I meet his deep penetrating thrusts with ones of my own increasing our shared pleasure. He speeds his driving thrusts further, and I moan with pleasure. He moves his mouth to my neck and lightly suck on the sensitive spot directly below my left ear, and I feel the familiar ache of my approaching release.

"God, I love you," I hear him say in my ear right before he levers himself on his arms and speeds his pounding. I feel like an explosion moves through my body, starting where we are joined and moving rapidly throughout my body.

"TTTOOOBBBIIIAAASSS!" I scream as I spasm around his pistoning shaft. I arch my back and every muscle in my body tenses as I feel him grab ahold of my hips, abruptly stop moving, and empty himself into me with a deep moan. I flop back on the bed, my release finally calming, and he collapses on top of me. He lies there panting in my ear for a moment before he rolls us so that I'm lying in his arms. I pull his mouth to mine and kiss him hard. He thrusts his tongue through my parted lips into my waiting mouth and mates it with mine. "I'm sorry. I wanted to go slow and make it last a long time but I wanted you too much. I couldn't wait. Do you forgive me?"

"There's nothing to forgive, Tris," he says with a sigh, kissing my forehead. I yawn into his chest, exhausted from the day's activities including making love three times. I'm really going to miss this when we get back to the real world and we aren't able to be with one another for days at a time. "Why don't we get some sleep? We had a big day. We still have tomorrow or the middle of the night or the morning. You know we'll make love again and soon." He moves his mouth to mine, and I feel him smiling against my lips. "Happy birthday, Mrs. Eaton. I hope all your dreams came true."


	41. Chapter 41

"Tobias?" I whisper in his ear. "Are you awake?" I can see and hear his breath steadily moving in and out of his lungs indicating he's still deep asleep, which doesn't surprise me. We spent yesterday doing nothing but making love – we have now "christened" each room in the lighthouse – and today we were out most of the day exploring the outskirts of Amity. The best thing we found by far was the old homestead by the pond that we hiked to on my birthday but today we came across remnants of an old farm with barns, rusted out machinery, empty grain bins, a huge windmill missing two blades so it can no longer turn, and a shell of an old two-story house that was almost as exciting; a small ghost town full of dilapidated houses, empty storefronts lining a long-abandoned main street, a run-down old water tower with lettering so faded I couldn't make out the name of the old town, and a train depot with a rather large locomotive sitting abandoned in front of it farther out than we really were supposed to go; and large metal signs along the broken down roads with faded advertisements for things Tobias and I neither one have heard of before like Coca-Cola, McDonalds, Bud Light, and others. We came straight home, crawled into bed, not even taking time to eat, and fell directly asleep.

I carefully roll over making sure I don't disturb my sleeping husband and get out of bed. Thinking of him that way tightens my tummy with excitement and love. I've been awake for about an hour turning an idea over and over in my head. I slowly descend the stairs and head into the bathroom. I take a quick shower, washing off the long day then rummage through my lingerie. I'm surprised to see he packed the see-through lacy red bra and boy shorts set I bought especially for Valentine's Day. Well maybe I'm not that surprised! He must have had a thought similar to mine because it seems perfect for my plan. I put on the sexy lingerie then look at the rest of the clothes in the tiny closet. Nothing seems quite right so I put on a pair of comfortable black yoga pants and a black and red pinstriped, long-sleeved button-down shirt of Tobias'. I roll up each sleeve a couple times until my hands are free, and I button the three middle buttons, which is adequate to cover me. I examine the shoes that he packed, and I put on the black open-toed 3-inch pumps embellished with black faux crystals I wore to the Dauntless Welcome Party that always seems to turn him on like no other. I switch off the light and slowly open the door and peek out but he's, thankfully, still upstairs asleep. I look through the small mini fridge to see if there is anything that looks good but I don't find anything. I go down to the communal kitchen and look through the big refrigerator and find our left over spaghetti and meatballs and Caesar salad. I'm about ready to close the door when I spot the still fresh strawberries we picked on Sunday, some whipped cream, and chocolate sauce. I gather it all and put it in a basket. I search through the drawers and cupboards until I find a pencil, a pad of paper, an ice bucket, and a bowl and put them in the basket along with the food. I go back up to our suite and put the food in the fridge and relax on the couch with the pad and pencil. I let my mind wander and write down everything that comes to me. When I'm satisfied with everything I've done, I put some of the black cherry votive candles Tobias bought at the street fair and matches in the basket and head up to the bedroom. I immediately see he's still asleep so I hide the basket of goodies behind the bed.

"Tobias," I say with my lips up against his ear. "Wake up." He groans and rolls over. I lay across his chest and start kissing his neck. "Are you going to wake up?"

"I'm awake," he says, wrapping his arms tightly around me. "By the way, you can wake me up like this any time you want." He gently grabs my face and pulls my lips to his and kisses me passionately. I moan when he thrusts his tongue past my parted lips. Before the desire starts to boil over, I move away from him.

"Are you hungry? Because I'm starved," I say. "I went downstairs and got the leftovers."

"Yeah, I am," he says, sleep still thick in his voice. "It's hard to believe we haven't eaten since breakfast."

"I'll tell you what, why don't you take a shower while I heat up the food," I say.

"That sounds like a plan," he says. I kiss him quickly then roll off of him.

"What in the world are you wearing?" he asks. I look down at myself and shrug.

"Just something I threw together," I say. We get out of bed, and I follow him downstairs. When he goes into the bathroom and I hear the shower turn on, I quickly run back upstairs and place the candles on the wooden shelf that wraps around the perimeter of the room then light them. The scent is delicious and reminds me just how hungry I really am. I quickly tear the sheets of paper apart and place the small slips in the wooden bowl and set it on the narrow console table in front of one of the large floor-to-ceiling windows that make up the walls of the old lantern room then I run back downstairs and put the spaghetti and meatballs on the stove to warm, set the table, and dress the salad then put it back in the fridge. While it's heating, I get a bottle of cider out of the wine rack and put it in the ice bucket then fill it with ice to chill. I arrange the few strawberries we have left on a plate and grab the chocolate and whipped cream and put them in the ice bucket along with the cider to keep them cold. I grab two champagne glasses and take them, the strawberries, and ice bucket up to our bedroom and put them on the table. Tobias is coming out of the bathroom just as I come back into the room. I grab him and kiss him passionately trying to disguise my slight shortness of breath from running all over the lighthouse in such a short amount of time.

"Did you have a nice shower?" I ask as I let him go, totally breathless now.

"I did," he says panting, eyeing me funny. "What have you been doing?"

"Just making supper," I say, not quite ready to let him in on the secret. I take the hot spaghetti and meatballs off the stove, get the Caesar salad out of the fridge and make a plate for each of us. I set them on the small table and finally sit down so that I can eat and relax.

"You're keeping a secret from me," he says.

"Am I?" I say with a coy smile.

"You are, Mrs. Eaton, and I'm not sure I like it," he says.

"Tobias," a loud sigh escapes my lips before I can stop it, "I have a surprise for you after super," I say rolling my eyes at him. "Let's call it a belated wedding gift."

"You said no more gifts," he says quite seriously.

"Oh, that only pertains to _you_!" I say with a grin and he furrows his eyebrows at me. "Plus I didn't _buy _you anything. I'll make you a deal. You can give me as many gifts as you like as long as you don't spend any money on them. How does that sound?"

"That sounds quite generous of you," he says. We are quiet for a time eating the wonderful meal. "I can't believe we have to go home in a couple days. The time has gone so fast."

"I know," I say, sadness bubbling up. "I've had a wonderful time."

"So have I," he says. "We didn't have to make love once, and I still would have had a great time because I'm with you."

"How did you get to be so romantic?" I ask.

"I told you, it's you," he says leaning over the table and kissing me softly.

"I'm glad we did make love though, Tobias," I say being the one who is serious for a moment. "I feel like _me_ again."

"I'm so glad to hear that. There was a time I was extremely worried about you. I even went to Isobel and asked what I should do. She told me to give you time and that's what I did, and I have my Tris back," he says, reaching out across the table to hold my hand. "So are you going to tell me what you've been up to?" I laugh at his insistence. I don't think he likes surprises.

"Not quite yet," I say. "Let's clean up the kitchen, brush our teeth, and then I'll tell you everything."

"Okay," he says. He gathers up the plates and puts them in the small dishwasher while I put the remaining spaghetti and meatballs and salad in bowls and put them in the mini fridge. He goes to the bathroom and brushes his teeth while I wipe off the countertops and the table. "You're turn." I brush my teeth and rinse my mouth out with minty mouthwash then return to the small living room and find him sitting on the couch. I straddle his lap and put my lips on his and kiss him slowly, softly, sensually. "Will you tell me what you're up to ... _please?_"

"I woke up a bit earlier than you did, and I watched you sleep," I say starting to tell him my idea. "You are so damn good looking, it literally took my breath away. I was thinking about everything I wanted to do to you when you woke up and an idea popped into my head. How about a little game of Candor or Dauntless?"

"Just the two of us?" he says skeptically. "How's that going to work?"

"Believe me, if this goes anything like I imagine it will, you'll never be satisfied with the plain old boring game we play with our friends ever again," I say with a seductive smile turning up my lips.

"Okay, I'm officially interested," he says.

"Take me upstairs then," I say. I tightly wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist as he easily stands up like my added weight isn't a hindrance. He moves his hands to cradle my behind and molds his mouth to mine. He slowly kisses me all the way up to the bedroom. When we get to the top of the stairs, the soft, delicious scent of black cherry hits us in the face. He breaks away from our kiss and gasps softly taking in the romantic ambiance of the room. I release my legs and slowly slide down his body until I'm standing on my feet. I walk across the room and retrieve the wooden bowl from the small table and carry it back to him. "The rules are a little different from our normal game. We will each take turns picking a truth or dare out of this bowl." I hold the bowl up. "When it's my turn to choose, you have to do whatever I say, and I have to do whatever it is that you tell me to do. Some will be simple questions to answer, other's ... not so much. Some will be simple tasks and other's will be full-fledged dares. But the biggest difference is there's no refusing." I take Tobias by the hand and lead him to the bed. I put the bowl down on the small console table and he helps me move it and all its contents to the foot of the bed. It actually looks like a natural place for it. "Do you want to play?" I run my hand down his chest and stomach and rest it on his waist. He smiles at me.

"Yeah!" he says. "Definitely!"

"You go first," I say excitedly. He reaches into the bowl and pulls a piece of paper out of it. He unfolds it and raises his eyebrows then looks at me with nothing less than lust in his beautiful dark blue eyes.

"Would you rather have sex with the lights on or off?" he asks, his voice sounding husky all of a sudden. Good! That is one of the easier questions I came up with. I don't even blush.

"On," I say. "I love looking at you."

"What do I do with this?" he says holding up the piece of paper.

"Just sit it beside the bowl," I say. "My turn." I pull out a piece of paper and read it. "Feed me a strawberry out of your mouth." I look at him seductively as I toss the paper with the other one. He picks up a nice juicy berry and puts it in his mouth. He raises his eyebrows at me then slowly moves his mouth to mine. I take a bite out of the strawberry and then another and finally he shoves the rest of it in my mouth using his tongue. He keeps his lips near mine as I eat it then he kisses me softly.

"That was ... good," he says licking his lips, which makes my stomach tighten. Then he reads from another paper, "Take off a piece of clothing."

"That one goes back in the bowl," I say. "I only wrote it down once." I think about what I have on, and I decide on the stretchy yoga pants. I'm not ready to reveal what I have on underneath this shirt and he loves the shoes too much. I put my hands on the waistband of my pants and slowly lower them, bending at my knees and waist as I go, never taking my eyes off of Tobias until I can step out of them. I pick them up off the floor and toss them in his face. I crawl across the bed and laydown in a seductive pose. He swallows sharply and his eyes glaze over. Another idea pops into my mind to save for a later date. I chose a slip of paper and immediately blush when I read it. "Would you rather give oral sex or get it?" He stares into my eyes. It sure does seem like it's taking him a long time to answer.

"Give it," he roughly says, slightly surprising me. I thought being a guy he would say get it. "I love everything about it but I especially love the moment you come. I don't know how to describe it but it makes me feel like a real man." I stare into his face and watch his pupils dilate right before my eyes signaling that the game it doing exactly what I wanted it to, turn us on. He reads another slip of paper and chuckles. "This is a good one. Do you check me out as I walk away?"

"Of course," I say with no hesitation, a bright smile on my face. "I also check you out when you're coming at me. I don't discriminate!" I just realized that this game is helping us do something we both loathe, talk about sex. I guess that makes it a win-win situation. I draw another question out of the bowl. "Is there one place I could kiss or touch that would make you instantly aroused?"

"Yeah, just under my right ear but I think you know that already," he says. "I wasn't kidding at the wedding when I told you not to start something we couldn't finish. That simple little kiss had me hard instantly." My eyes widen. Why don't I know this? "I swore that everyone could see that I was walking around aroused. It was very embarrassing." My breath catches in my throat. I roll over on the bed and move to the edge. I beckon him to me with my finger. When he's standing right in front of me, I slide my body up the front of his and glide my hand down until it lands on the sizable bulge in his pants then I lightly place my lips on the spot we are talking about, and he doesn't disappoint. I feel him lengthen and swell beneath my touch. "You're killing me, Tris."

"I'd say I'm sorry but I'm not," I say, gently squeezing the bulge beneath my hand as I kiss his neck.

"Tell me a sexual fantasy you have," he roughly says. His question snaps me out of my passion cloud, and I take my hand off him as I look into his eyes. I automatically drop my eyes thinking about the one and only fantasy I've ever had. Is it _still_ my fantasy? I had hoped _he_ would get this question.

"I'm not sure ..." I start to say but he interrupts me.

"You are the one who made the rules," he says. "No refusals, remember." I'm quiet for a time, hoping I can get through this without breaking down. I close my eyes and take a deep breath.

"I've only had one fantasy but I'm not sure I feel the same way anymore," I say opening my eyes and looking into his soulful eyes. He furrows his eyebrows at me. "It goes something like this, Tobias. We are in the ... training room," the minute those words cross my lips he understands my hesitancy and his look turns apologetic, "and we finish our training session early. You walk over to the door, lock it, turn the overhead lights out, and walk slowly back to me, a look of lust in your eyes. We start kissing and slowly running our hands all over each other's bodies. We remove each other's clothes unhurriedly and proceed to make love right on the mat in the middle of the room." Surprisingly, I can picture it all and a smile crosses my lips. The thought doesn't give me any anxiety at all. It actually excites me. "I think it still is a fantasy, Tobias, just not one that I would be able to fulfil any time soon, if ever."

"I'm glad you shared it with me," he says caressing my face. Another idea pops into my mind that widens my eyes.

"I have an idea, Mr. Eaton," I say leaning toward him. He puts his arms around me. "I want each of us to make a list of our favorite places in Dauntless and around the city, and I want us to ... 'christen' those spots like we did with the rooms here in the lighthouse." He starts laughing.

"That sounds like a wonderfully naughty idea, Mrs. Eaton," he says. "You don't have to ask me twice. Is it your turn or mine?" I have to think. I draw a slip out of the bowl.

"Take off a piece of clothing," I say. He releases me from his arms and peels his shirt off over his head as I toss the suggestion back in the bowl and shake the paper around to mix up the questions.

"What is your favorite position?" he says.

"Until Wednesday, I would say you on top of me," I say. "I also thoroughly enjoy being on top but when you took me from behind on my birthday, I thought I was going to lose it. That was the best ... greatest ... I can't explain it. It was _mind blowing_ for me, Tobias. I would do it that way all the time except I would miss looking in your eyes." I slide my hand down his face, and he takes it in his and kisses my palm.

"I had no idea you like it that much," he says. He leans down and puts his forehead on mine. "I really liked it too."

"What do you think I look best in," I say.

"That's easy, nothing at all," he says with a sexy grin, his eyes glazing over as he looks me up and down. He picks another slip of paper out of the bowl and reads, "Oh, take a piece of clothing off. See, I really like you naked." He throws the paper back in the bowl, and I slowly unbutton the three buttons holding the shirt on my body, never taking my eyes off his. I let it slide off my shoulders and land at my feet. I'm carefully watching his face as I reveal the see through red lingerie. A low growl comes from deep within his throat. He pulls me into his arms and kisses me ferociously. I feel his straining bulge somehow grow even larger and a moan escapes my now parted lips as he kisses my neck. I reach down and take what turns out to be a dare out of the bowl.

"Put whipped cream anywhere on my body and lick it off," I roughly say. I put that one back in the bowl also because that sounds like fun. I point towards the ice bucket, and he gets the can of whipped cream. He has a sex starved, naughty look on his face as he leads me to the side of the bed and instructs me to lie down. My heart starts pounding in my chest as he looks my body up and down. He turns the can upside down and sprays a lot of whipped cream into my navel. The contrast between the cold treat and the heat of my body sends shivers up and down my spine. He reaches over and puts the can down on the console table then lowers his head and licks the sweet cream out of my bellybutton with his tongue, and a shudder moves through my entire body. It takes him a couple more laps with his tongue until he has all the sticky goodness cleaned up and when he's done, my core is throbbing with want. He reaches into the bowl and smiles.

"Take an article of my clothing off only using your teeth," he says. I look at him and smile. I must admit, I wished I would get this one. I sit up, slightly breathless, and slide to the edge of the bed.

"Come a little closer, please," I say. I put my hands behind my back and put my mouth just above the waistband of his pants. I kiss his bare skin before I stick my tongue between the knit fabric and his skin and grasp it with my teeth. I move my head down and the front of his pants come with me but I'm having trouble with the back. He cheats a little and helps me move them down. I look up at him with scolding eyes.

"Hey, you didn't say_ I_ couldn't use my hands," he says holding his hands up, cheerfully watching me struggle. Once I get them passed his hips, they pretty much fall to the floor, and he steps out of them. I then put my hands on his legs and kiss my way back up his body, even kissing his clothed bulge making him gasp loudly. I pull the next truth or dare out and smile.

"Use your hands on me for 1 minute," I say. He picks me up and lays me down on the bed.

"Anywhere?" he asks.

"Anywhere you would like to place your hands," I say. He doesn't waste any time. He moves my panties to the side and enters my wet womanhood with one finger. After the third or fourth stroke he adds a second. I arch my body towards his exploring fingers and pull his mouth to mine. He adds a soft circular motion with the pad of his thumb on my nubbin, and I groan deeply from the sudden stimulation.

"How will we know when it's been one minute?" he asks, his mouth moving against mine as his fingers are sliding quickly in and out of my body bringing me closer to a sweet climax. I never thought of that.

"I'm sure it's been a minute," I groan. He abruptly stops and removes his fingers from me making me whimper, leaving me incredibly aroused and feeling incredibly empty.

"Oh, my!" he says looking at me. I haven't moved. I'm still sprawled out on the bed, my heaving chest finally slowing. "Would you like me to tie you up one day then have my way with you?" I know I wrote this question but I honestly have no answer to it. I close my eyes and decide to say the first thing that comes to mind.

"I'm not opposed to it but it isn't something I'm dying to do," I say slowly opening my eyes and looking up at him. "What do you think of the idea?"

"Like you, the idea hasn't really crossed my mind but it isn't something I would say absolutely no to," he says. "Do you think we are adventurous enough for that?"

"I don't know," I say. "Maybe. It's something we can talk about later if we want. Let's see." I lean up on my elbows, pick out another slip of paper, and read it. "If you were the opposite sex for 24 hours, what part of your body would you touch the most?" This one makes me smile, and I'm glad he's the one answering.

"I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off my boobs," he says with a laugh of his own. His eyes glaze over thinking about what every guy loves so much ... breasts, and I shake my head at him. "Kiss me using no tongue for 1 minute." I have him sit on the side of the bed, and I crawl to him and sit sideways on his lap, wrap my arms around his neck, and place my lips softly to his. I move my mouth with his making sure that my tongue stays put in my mouth. I love kissing him. If I didn't absolutely have to do other things on a daily basis I would spend my days leisurely kissing him. I pull away when I know a minute has passed.

"Does a massage arouse you?" I ask, still sitting on his lap looking into his lust-filled eyes.

"It has," he says, "but not every time. I don't know why." He draws another piece of paper. "Do you prefer morning sex or nighttime sex?"

"If I had to choose, I think I prefer making love to you in the morning," I say. "Would you rather be on top or on the bottom?" He smiles widely.

"Can I say both?" he asks. I shake my head at him. "Fine. Let's see. On top. Would you rather try out new and crazy kinky sex ideas or have romantic sex with me?"

"I would rather have romantic sex," I say. I take another slip and read it, "Do you think I'm a good kisser?"

"Even though I've never kissed anyone else, yes, I _know_ you are the best kisser in the world," he says

"Funny, I thought_ I_ was kissing the best kisser in the world," I say with a chuckle.

"What is your favorite part of my body?" he says. I look into his eyes and get lost like I do so many times and the truth falls out of my mouth.

"You may find this hard to believe but it's your eyes," I say breathlessly, caressing his face. "I swear I can see into your soul." He grabs me and kisses me passionately. I let his hands roam freely over my body and by the time he's done, my breasts are aching with want and the aching desire has localized between my thighs. "What is your favorite part of foreplay?"

"I love feeling your mouth on me," I say with a slight blush. "It doesn't matter if it is on my lips ... my neck ... my breasts ... nipples ... or you're simply giving me oral sex. I love it _all_." I draw another slip of paper and grin. "Take off an article of clothing."

"Is it fair for me to be sitting here buck ass naked and _you_ still have your bra and underwear on?" he says. I get off his lap and he stands up. He slowly lowers his underwear down his hips then down his legs.

"It might be if my lingerie wasn't completely see through," I say, rolling my eyes at him. My mouth goes instantly dry when I see his beautiful body in the buff. I'm not sure I've ever seen him as aroused as he is right now. I let my eyes roam over every inch of him.

"Lick and kiss my ear for one minute," he says with a groan. I push him down on the bed and crawl up his body letting my body just barely graze his until I'm lying beside him on the right side of course. I start kissing and licking all around his ear teasing him. He grabs handfuls of my hair and the sheets while I play with one if the most sensitive spots on his body. He groans and grasps my hair tighter making me gasp. I quit as quickly as I start. I'm kind of surprised that didn't send him over the edge, which would be something to see ... making him climax without actually touching his erection.

"Would you rather cuddle or fall right to sleep after sex?" I say.

"I definitely like to cuddle," he gruffly says. "If you had x-ray glasses on right now, what part of my body would you be looking at? That one would be better if I actually had clothes on."

"I'll still answer it," I say blushing like a tomato. "Your penis."

"The blush tipped me off in case you were wondering," he says with a sexy smirk. I playfully slap his chest.

"Is there a position we haven't tried that you would like to try?" I say, reading off the slip of paper I drew.

"Yes," he says then silence descends upon us.

"Are you going to let me in on the secret?" I ask.

"One day I might," he says.

"Tobias!" I moan.

"Fine," he says. "How about I just show you."

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><p><strong>AN: I know this is an odd place to stop but when I originally wrote this, chapters 41 and 42 were one extremely long (over 8,000 words) chapter. There was no way that I could leave it that way so this was the best stopping place I could find. I hope you enjoyed their little playtime as much as I enjoyed writing it. I think this, along with the next chapter, is one of my favorite chapters. **

**A few people keep asking if this story is going to be continued, and the answer is yes. There's still a lot left to this story and I already have some plot points for the next "book" written down so unless something drastic happens, this won't be ending any time soon. Also the upload schedule is every other day in case you missed it. **

**Once again, thanks for all the kind reviews. You guys keep me writing this story. See you Thursday!**

**-Moonshine**


	42. Chapter 42

**Okay, here is your direct continuation of Chapter 41! Enjoy!**

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><p>Excitement moves through me at an alarming rate. Our little game of naughty Candor or Dauntless seems to be a big hit. I can tell by the hungry look in his eyes that he's just as turned on right now as I am, which is an incredible feat because I'm about ready to boil over at any moment.<p>

"Will you do me a favor and lie down on the floor?" Tobias roughly asks with a sexy gleam in his darkened eyes. "I think it's best not to make a mess on the white sheets." I silently gasp at his words. I wonder what in the world he has in store for me. I edge my way to the side of the bed then carefully drop to my knees. I kneel for a minute beckoning him with my eyes, and I hear him groan. I finally crawl across the floor and lie down at his feet, propping myself up on my arms and spreading my legs for him so he can see every inch of me, and I see his dark eyes darken even further. He grabs the jar of chocolate sauce and can of whipped cream from the ice bucket and lust surges through me. He wants to play some more. He kneels between my parted legs and with no pretense, puts his hands on the waistband of my sheer, lacy red boy shorts and slowly lowers them down my legs. I place my right ankle on his shoulder, and he locks eyes with me. "What has gotten into you?" His voice is raspy with passion, and his desirous stare has flames burning through my veins.

"I was hoping you would ... _soon_," I say as I look his magnificent naked body up and down, lingering at his highly aroused manhood. I take a deep cleansing breath trying to quiet my hammering heart. He is breathtaking. I finally meet his eyes again, and he's shaking his head back and forth slightly.

"I'm afraid you'll have to wait a bit longer, love," he says moving my leg off his shoulder. "You may have started this Godforsaken game but I intend to finish it only when I'm good and ready." His words make me tingle with anticipation. He takes the whipped cream and squirts a dollop of it in the hollow of my neck. The coolness of it makes me shiver. He leans over and slowly licks it off making me tremble. I lie back loving every minute of his mouth and tongue on my skin. He dips out some chocolate sauce with his finger and rubs it all over my lips then starts licking it off. I push my tongue out to meet his, and it turns into a fevered, wanton kiss with the sweet taste of chocolate urging us both forward. He dips his finger into the chocolate again and slowly makes a line from my neck to my bellybutton, covering even my bra. He slowly laps up every inch of chocolate making me dizzy with pleasure. I arch my back and take my stained bra off and throw it away from us wanting him to turn his attention to my aching breasts. Knowing exactly what I'm thinking, he puts whipped cream on one nipple then sucks it off noisily, arousing me further. He's really having a good time with the addition of these sweets. This is definitely something we should do at home. I moan loudly when he puts more cold whipped cream on my sensitive nipple, distending it further, and sucks it into his mouth. I arch off the floor toward his heavenly mouth, and he sucks the aching bud even harder.

"Oh, my God!" I say, wrapping my arms around his head.

"Are you turned on, love?" he says against my breast with a chuckle.

"I've been turned on the last hour, Tobias," I groan. "I'm not sure I can take much more." He moves up my body and looks into my eyes. I can smell chocolate and sweet cream on his ragged breath.

"I'm not done playing yet," he says, his eyes full of desire, lust, hunger, longing, and so much more. "You're just going to have to suffer until I decide to let you come then you can play with me. How does that sound?" I grab the back of his head and roughly pull his mouth to mine. The powerful need I'm feeling takes over, and I lose myself in his intense kiss. He tears himself away from my lips, leaving me panting on the smooth, cold wooden floor and kisses his way back to my breasts. He dips his finger in the chocolate and thickly coats each nipple with the smooth cold sauce like he's painting a masterpiece. He looks at his hand and moves it up and puts it in front of my open mouth. I take his finger into my mouth and suck on it gently, removing some of the succulent sauce. Then I lightly run my tongue up and down its length and around the tip, savoring the sweet chocolate flavor. I feel his mouth on my breast, hungrily devouring the sensual treat, and I grasp his body tightly with my legs as a ripple of pleasure moves through me. He drags his finger out of my mouth and dips it in the chocolate and writes I love you on my stomach. His eyes are on mine as he licks every bit of chocolate off my abdomen.

"Tobias," I moan. "You're killing me."

"Do you want me to let you come?" he asks. I can barely breathe to answer his question so I nod my head. He shakes his head at me. "You have to say it, Beatrice Grace. Tell me what you _want_."

"Make me come, Tobias," I say, moaning deeply. "I need you so much. I want you so much. _Please_, make me come."

"Ask and you shall receive," he says with a smug grin. He grabs the whipped cream and fills my navel then trails it down to my womanhood. He places erotic kisses all around my tummy making the anticipation rise to new heights then licks all the melting sweet cream out of my bellybutton sending a shock straight to my core. He travels his tongue along the trail of whipped cream, lapping it up until he's circling my nubbin with just the very tip of his velvety tongue. He reaches up and grabs the chocolate. He dips his finger in and smears it all around my entrance and nubbin. I hear him growl deeply as he enjoys the extra special treat in front of him. I arch myself toward his whirling tongue and he holds me to him, keeping me still. He swirls his tongue all around for a bit before drawing the aching bundle of nerves between his hot, moist lips. As he sucks on it harder I fall over the cliff I've been climbing. "Oh my God! Oh _God_! _Tobias_! Oh, shit. I'm coming!" I rise up off the floor, grasping his head firmly to my body as he continues sucking hard on my nubbin. When I come down from my high, I realize he's quickly building me toward my next release. He slowly enters a finger into my soaking wet center and sets a slow in-and-out pace. He starts swirling his tongue all along my aching bundle of nerves, barely touching me with just the tip. I grab his head roughly clutching him to me, enjoying the feel immensely. He adds a second finger and quickens the pace as he moves his mouth to my inner thigh and sucks gently on the sensitive flesh. I somehow manage to raise my hips to meet his probing fingers while keeping his head firmly held in place. "Oh, God! Please, please, please … _please_!" He moves his mouth back to my nubbin and draws it into his mouth, nibbling on it gently. He picks up the pace with his fingers, and I slip over the edge again. My whole body feels like it's on fire, and I find that I can no longer breathe. I spasm and shake all over then find myself gasping in lungful's of much-needed air. He slowly kisses his way up my body until he is tenderly kissing my lips. "God, I love you. Have I told you that lately?"

"As a matter of fact, you have," he says with a smile.

"So tell me something, Mr. Eaton, if I were to just _touch _you right now do you think you would come?" I ask. He groans loudly. "Can I try something?"

"Of course," he says.

"I need you to lie down on your back," I say. He does and I cuddle up on the right side of his body and start licking and kissing his ear. I put my lips directly against his ear and whisper, "Just relax. I'm going to make you come for me." I start lightly sucking and licking on the sensitive spot beneath his ear and his body tenses. I put my hand on the opposite side of his neck, caressing gently as I tease him.

"Tris," he groans loudly. "Oh, oh. _Oh_, my God!" His whole body tenses further, and he releases himself all over his stomach and chest. I stop kissing him and lay my head on his shoulder. We lie together as he catches his breath. "Damn! You never touched me." He sounds astonished.

"That's what I wanted to see," I say. "You got so hard just by me kissing your neck. I wanted to see if you could come without me touching you. You did that to me once. I knew you could do it!"

"Don't sound so proud of yourself," he says. I stick my tongue out at him and he smiles. I reach over and grab his underwear and hand them to him, and he cleans himself up.

"So, is it my turn to play now?" I ask.

"It sure is," he says, "but be forewarned, it will turn you on just as much as it will me." His phone rings, and we both sigh. I get up and grab it and hand it to him. "I don't recognize the number." The ringing abruptly stops, indicating the caller hung up. He tries his voice mail but nothing's there so we decide to forget about the intrusive interruption. I pick up the whipped cream, hold it up, and shake it around.

"My turn," I say unintentionally licking my lips causing his eyes to glaze over once again. I slowly push him down on the floor and kiss him hard on the lips while I put a line of sweet cream on his neck. I deliberately skim my lips over his cheek and ear then proceed to lick the whipped cream off his neck. He's right. That was surprisingly erotic. I make a trail from his neck to his already hard nipple and slowly lap it all up. I dip my finger in the chocolate and feed it to him. He sucks hard on my finger then swirls his tongue all around the tip of it until it's totally clean. I get more chocolate and paint his nipples the same way he did mine then start kissing and licking all around his chest making him moan deeply. I finally flit my tongue out toward the chocolate-covered nub, and he moans deeply, which increases my desire. I didn't realize just how much pleasure I get from his sexual gratification. I draw the hard nipple into my mouth and suck on it roughly while I move my hands across his body. When I've thoroughly cleaned the chocolate off, I move to his other nipple and start sucking on it like a newborn suckles its mother's breast at feeding time.

I pick up the can of whipped cream while I'm still nibbling on the bud and make a line straight down the middle of his chest down to his navel. I start kissing and licking the sugary treat off his chest as he groans loudly. I can't help but smile hearing him having such a good time. I dip my finger into the chocolate and spread it all over his rock solid manhood then take the whipped cream and put a dollop on the head. "Tobias, look at me." I don't recognize my husky voice. He maneuvers himself into an inclined position and I stare into his lust-darkened eyes. I start licking up and down his hard shaft never taking my eyes ... or my tongue … off of him. I see him hold his breath for a moment then draw in raspy gasps. When I finally take him into my mouth he moans loudly, and I see his stomach muscles tighten further. I enjoy the chocolate taste on his most intimate body part as I take more and more of him into my mouth. I synchronize the movement of my mouth and my hand, making sure I give him the best pleasure that I know how. He starts lifting his hips off the floor as I increase the suction on his hard length. I feel a pulsating desire on my nubbin and can't stop myself from rubbing myself against the leg I'm straddling. I'm still looking deep in his eyes as I feel his length expand, and he shudders and cries out as he releases himself into my mouth. I keep up the movement with my hand until he expels himself fully then I continue to lick around his length. I take him out of my mouth and lick the remaining chocolate off his still hard shaft. He reaches out and takes my hand, which has some chocolate on it also and starts licking every inch. I gasp when his tongue cleans out the webbing between my fingers then moan loudly. He meets my eyes and smiles around my fingers. Once he licks my hand clean, I kiss my way up his body until my lips land on his. The taste of chocolate on his tongue makes me smile.

"There's something I want to try," I say in between pants. He nods at me, still unable to speak himself. I get up and kneel at the top of his head and slowly lower my mouth to his and kiss him like we saw in a movie we watched once, The Man Who Turned into a Spider or something like that. He thrusts his tongue into my mouth, and I suck on it gently. We both groan at the same time. I get up on my hands and knees and move down his body placing sweet kisses as I go until I'm straddling him, offering my womanhood up for his special treatment, and he doesn't disappoint. As he buries his tongue inside my moist womanhood, I lie down flat on his stomach and take his manhood into my mouth. I've always loved feeling his mouth on me but there's something combustible about feeling his tongue, lips, and fingers work me over as I have him in my mouth. We synchronize our efforts to one another's and build quickly to what I know will be another mind-blowing release. He concentrates on my nubbin, licking, nibbling, and sucking until an eruption surges through my body. I release him from my mouth as I scream in fulfillment. When I can breathe again, I concentrate my efforts on his release. My mouth dances on his shaft as my tongue twirls and my hand dips down over and over. I feel him swell further, tense, and release himself with a cry of satisfaction of his own. I roll off of him, and we both lay on the floor catching our breath.

Soon he gets up and reaches his hand down to me. I take it and he helps me to my feet and sweeps me up in his arms. I wrap my left arm around his neck and caress his cheek with my other one. I draw his mouth to mine and kiss him thoroughly. He kneels on the bed and lays me down in the center then lies beside me.

"I told you there was a position I wouldn't mind trying," he huskily says. "How about we try that now?"

"That sounds like a great idea," I say.

"I need you to lie next to me like you do when we're going to sleep at night," he says. I roll away from him onto my side, my heart hammering with anticipation. He moves and soon I feel every inch of his body mold perfectly to mine then he wraps his arms around me tightly in a loving embrace. I feel his hot mouth on the back of my neck, and a shudder moves through my body. He starts gently caressing my thigh and puts his mouth on my ear. "Put your leg over mine." I lift my leg, and he takes ahold of it and lays it where he wants it. He lovingly runs one hand over my growing tummy while the other one kneads an aching breast. He moves his hand lower until he's caressing my aching nubbin with the pad of a callused finger. I tilt my head back enjoying the growing pleasure, and he places his lips on my neck and kisses me gently. He takes his finger off my nubbin and places himself at my entrance and slowly pushes himself into me until I sheath him fully. I moan deeply and turn the upper half of my body in his arms slightly and search for his mouth with mine. He moves his hand back to my nubbin as he starts moving within me slowly. I sigh as he keeps up the steady, long strokes with his hard length and constant pressure with his finger. He can see that I'm enjoying myself completely so he increases the speed further, his thrusts harder and deeper making me gasp. I arch my back and grab his thigh and squeeze it as a mini spasm of pleasure moves though my body from his deep penetrations, which seem to be hitting a magical spot inside of me and from the constant circular motion of his finger on my aching bundle of nerves.

"Tobias," I say against his mouth. "I love you. I _love _this. Oh God! This is so good. _You're _so good." He kisses me passionately, one hand circling my nubbin and the other caressing my aching breast.

"You're so perfect," he says in my ear. "I love you so much, Tris." He continues moving within me, not too slow but not too fast. He's taking his sweet time, letting our orgasms build unhurriedly. "You're so tight and wet." His thrusts increase ever so slightly with his words.

"You're so hard and hot," I moan. He increases our pace further and kisses the sensitive spot beneath my left ear. "Oh, Tobias. I can feel you so deep inside me."

"I love how it feels being inside you," he says then he kisses my shoulder and gently grabs my thigh and moves my leg back towards us opening me for him. He starts moving into my body at a frenzied pace, making me cry out with each powerful trust.

"Oh, my God!" I say as I feel him swell within me, prompting me to shudder uncontrollably around him as a wave of pleasure washes over me. "Uh, uh, uh. _Oh, God!_" As he plunges over the edge, he tenses and spills into me.

"Oh, God! _Tris_!" he calls out at the exact same time I scream, "_TTTOOOBBBIIIAAASSS_!" at the top of my lungs. I feel his movement slow then finally stop, and I lie with his arms wrapped around me, air rushing in and out of my aching lungs. He slides out of me, and we both collapse on the bed. He moves his mouth to mine and gives me a deep, need-filled, powerful kiss.

"You're killing me, Tobias," I moan when me moves his mouth to my neck.

"That's kind of my intention, love," he says with a chuckle. His soft touch tightens my tummy. "I told you this would only be over when I was good and ready." An intense look comes over his face, and he stares deeply into my eyes, caressing my cheek. "And I'm not done yet. Not at all." His mouth crashes into mine just as his phone rings again. We both groan … _loudly_. He reaches for the phone just as it stops ringing. "_Son_ _of a bitch!_ If I figure out who keeps interrupting us, I'm going to _kill_ them. Now where was I?" He lowers his mouth to mine and kisses me passionately as we run our hands all over each other's bodies. "It's your turn to pick out a position ... or two or three. I'm open to anything." He laughs heartily against my neck making me shiver. "Do you have something else that you would like to try or would you like something familiar?"

"What if I tell you _I'm_ done," I tease.

"Not an option, Mrs. Eaton," he says with a sexy grin, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "It's my mission to wear you out tonight, and like I've said before, _you_ started all this with that damn game that kept me harder than I've ever been in my entire life for far too long."

"Fine," I say with mock exasperation. I lean up and get a strawberry then push him down flat on his back. I straddle his hips and immediately feel his hands on my waist. I take a bite of the berry and rub its juicy flesh over his lips, staining them red then lean over and kiss him feverishly. I run my tongue along his bottom lip until he opens for me then I explore every inch of his hot mouth. The taste is exhilarating and makes me want more. I put the berry in my mouth then proceed to kiss him slowly, thoroughly, sharing the sweet treat with him. I reach back and get another berry and rub it all over his lips again then feed it to him. I run the very tip of my tongue over his lips, tasting the fragrant juice then force it through his soft, pliable lips into his mouth and mate it hungrily with his. I start slowly rocking back and forth on his hard shaft, and he moans loudly. "Will you make love to me? Please." I lean up and look him directly in his eyes. "I want to feel you on me … _in_ me." He groans and rolls us over so that he is once again on top of me. We don't bother with extended foreplay this time, the need we are experiencing it too overwhelming. He thrusts deeply into me as I move my hips to accept him, joining our bodies fully with one driving thrust. He slowly rotates his hips making room within my small body for himself before he starts slowly moving in and out of my pulsating core. My body moves involuntarily to meet each of his possessive thrusts. He keeps the pace steady, not too slow yet not too fast. We stare into each other's eyes as our bodies move as one. He slowly brings his mouth to mine, and he gives me a long, lingering, intoxicating kiss.

"I love you," he huskily says when he finally releases my mouth.

"I love you," I breathlessly say in response. I don't know how I can possibly love him more than I do in the moment. Everything is absolutely perfect. I draw his mouth back to mine and kiss him with a wanton passion that I didn't know I was capable of. I tangle my fingers in his hair as I make love to him with my tongue. He increases the speed, and I lift my hips to his thrusting body in a synchronized rhythm. We move together in perfect harmony, enjoying the feel of each other. I grasp his back tightly as he kisses his way from my mouth to my breast. He captures my erect little bud between his lips and sucks gently increasing the familiar pressure that's building and localizing where our bodies are joined. He senses my growing need and increased the pace further. I rock beneath him as he thrusts wildly into my tight depths. My breathing is harsh and uneven. I'm gasping for air but it isn't coming to me easily. I feel him swell within me, and he hammers away at my body building toward his climax. I arch my back in unspeakable happiness, answering his thrusting hips as I slip over the edge, erupting into a final fiery explosion of ecstasy. He buries his head in my neck as he experiences the longest, hottest release of his life. He grunts and groans in my ear while he continues to spill his love into me. After what seems like forever, he is finally still and laying on me fully. He levers himself up on to his elbows and looks into my eyes. Emotion overwhelms me and tears start to flood down my cheeks once again.

"What's wrong?" he tenderly asks, caressing my cheeks.

"Nothing," I say, sniffing and wiping the traitor tears away. "Everything is perfect, Tobias."

"Then why are you crying, love?" he asks. He rolls us on our side and pulls me close to his chest.

"I honestly don't know," I say. "It could be pregnancy hormones but it could be that I just love you so much, and when I think of that ... it chokes me up." The last words are barely audible as a new wave of irrational emotion washes over me. He holds me, kissing away my tears. I finally draw his mouth to mine and kiss him long and hard. Unbelievably the passion starts to reignite.

"Haven't you had enough?" he asks with a groan.

"Have you?" I ask, staring into his loving eyes, watching them become desire clouded.

"Never," he says with a huge smile on his face. "Come here." He grabs me and rolls us until I'm lying on top of him. He kisses me hungrily as one arm wraps tightly against my body holding me to him and the other tangles itself in my hair. I have my hand between us, moving my glove-like fist along his hardening shaft. The phone rings again and a noise I've never heard comes from deep within his throat. I release my grip on him as he grabs his phone.

"This had _better_ be good," he growls angrily, finally getting a chance to answer the ringing phone. The look on his face instantly worries me. I can tell that something is wrong but I have no idea what it could be. "Okay, my wife and I will be there as soon as we can but I have to tell you we're in Amity so it's going to take us at least a couple hours to get there. Keep me posted." He hangs up his phone.

"What is it, Tobias?" I ask, anxiety rushing through me.

"Tris, I'm so sorry," he says, "but we've got to go ... _now_! Evelyn's water broke. The baby is on its way."

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><p><strong>AN: I have a couple more questions to answer. ****1) The sex of the baby will be revealed during this story though I'm not exactly sure when. 2) ****Some of you wanted to know where I came up with the idea for one-on-one Candor or Dauntless. Well I was looking online for some ideas for truth or dare questions when I did the Candor or Dauntless chapter earlier in the story, and I found what I considered a very inappropriate question for a game with mixed company. After I got done blushing (yes, I'm a bit of a prude), I thought that it would be a great question for a couples game and _voila_ the idea was born. 3) Someone asked how far ahead I am on this story and right now, I finished chapter 48, which I started on Tuesday, and started chapter 49 last night. I also have three other partial chapters started for something that will be happening very soon. **

**I think that is it for the questions right now. I want to thank everyone for reading my story! I have nearly 78,500 views and 641 reviews. I'm mystified but extremely grateful. A guest left a review after reading A Different Divergent that I got yesterday and asked if it really was the first time I had ever written something. Well with the exception of papers I had to write in high school, yes. I've never had a lot of self confidence and even though I've always had the desire to write short stories or even a novel one day, I never had the confidence in myself to think that I could do it. You all keep this story going. If it weren't for you, I'm sure it would have fizzled out long ago. **

**One other thing in case you missed it - When Tris references the kiss in a movie called "The Man Who Turned into a Spider" she means "Spiderman" staring Tobey Maguire and Kirsten Dunst. Rereading that part made me laugh. I hope it made you all laugh as well! I thought that if it didn't I needed to explain!**

****Well, I'm sure I've taken up enough of your time! See you all Saturday! ****


	43. Chapter 43

I freeze when I hear the news. I can't believe our baby is on her way. I meet Tobias' eyes, and he leans into me and places his lips to mine and gently kisses me. All the passion we were experiencing just moments ago disappeared when we received that phone call. We get out of bed and take everything that's ours down to the kitchen-living room area of our suite so that I can pack while Tobias is taking a shower. Neither one of us can go anywhere without cleaning up first. I throw all our dirty clothes into one shopping bag and our clean items minus an outfit for each of us into our small suitcase. I gather up the remaining shopping bags and put what items that will fit in the suitcase and lie the rest and the backpacks on the couch. I empty our leftovers into the trash and put all the dirty dishes in the dishwasher after I quickly put away the clean ones. Tobias comes out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his hips, and I have to fight off the desire that spears through to the soul of me.

"I laid you out an outfit," I say, pointing at the couch. He reaches out and stops me. I look up into his smiling eyes.

"I'm really sorry we have to go," he says. "I'll make it up to you when things calm down. I swear we'll finish our honeymoon."

"We couldn't have predicted that she would have went into labor early when all her other kids were late," I say. "But if we can sneak off for a couple days, I won't say no. I love you." I kiss him tenderly not wanting to reignite the passion that is simmering just beneath the surface. "Now I have to go take a shower so we can get to the hospital."

"I love you, too, Tris," he says. "When you're done can you take one last look around making sure we haven't left anything? I'm going to take everything down to the truck. I'll meet you downstairs." I take a really quick shower then get dressed. I don't even bother doing anything more than running a wide-toothed comb through my damp hair. I go up to the bedroom and take in my surroundings. I close my eyes running through every sweet memory we made in that bed ... _and_ on the floor. There's nothing that will make me forget every minute I spent with Tobias in this room. I open my eyes and closely look around one last time but find nothing we accidentally left behind. Sadness pierces my heart, and I sigh as I turn off the lights and head back downstairs. I take one final look around the small kitchen and living room but I find nothing. I go into the bathroom and rummage through the drawers. I find a small white box with a pink ribbon tied around it in the last one I open. I take it with me just in case it's ours. If it's not, I'll give it to the caretaker because it looks like a jewelry box, and I'm sure someone is missing it. I turn off the lights and take my final journey down the six flights of stairs to meet Tobias. When I reach the big kitchen at the bottom, I find Tobias talking to the lighthouse caretaker.

"I'll have some Dauntless guards return the truck later today," he is saying to the older gray-haired gentleman with kind but tired eyes. "Thank you again for letting us borrow it to get to the hospital."

"You don't have to thank me, Mr. Eaton," he says. "It's the least I can do to make sure you get to the hospital for the birth of your first child.

"I emptied the mini fridge and put the dirty bowls in the dishwasher," I say, making my presence known. "I didn't bring the trash down. I hope that's okay."

"Oh, that is fine, Mrs. Eaton," he says. "I'm thankful for what you did. It was very thoughtful. Most guests wouldn't have done that much."

"Are you ready, Tris?" Tobias asks.

"I am," I say. "I did find this. Is it ours?" I hold the small box out, and he grimaces letting me know it's ours and more than likely for me. "Don't worry, I didn't open it."

"I'm afraid we left the place quite a mess, and I mean the _entire _place." I blush slightly remembering our time in every single room in this building.

"It's okay, sir," the caretaker says. "We clean every room after guests leave when they are the only ones here." Now I don't feel so bad. Tobias takes me by the hand and leads me to the truck. Within minutes we're heading toward the city.

"Where did you find that box?" he asks.

"It was in the last drawer in the closet," I say.

"I got it for you before you told me you don't want any more gifts," he says. "I can't believe that I missed it. I'm really glad you found it, and I swear, I'll keep my promise and lay off the presents."

"I appreciate that," I say. I slide closer to him, take his hand in mine, lacing our fingers together, and rest my head up against his shoulder. My entire body seems to be trembling slightly.

"Are you nervous?" he asks, noticing the shaking as we near the fence.

"Nervous … scared … anxious … excited … overjoyed," I say, feeling each emotion as I say it. "I've never felt this way. It's frightening and confusing, Tobias."

"It's going to be okay, Tris," he says, holding our joined hands up to his mouth and kissing them gently. "I'm feeling exactly the same way you are. We'll get through this together just like we do everything else. Before you know it, she'll be here, and we'll get to take her home. We'll finally be a family." Tears come to my eyes.

"We're already a family," I whisper, emotion once again robbing me of my voice. After a moment of silence I ask, "What if I'm not a good mother? What if I do something wrong? I don't know anything about babies."

"Do you remember when Tyler first came to stay with us?" he asks and I nod my head, remembering the trepidation I felt. "Neither one of us knew anything at all about having a child in the house. We were scared to death that something would happen to him but he's grown so much under our care and a lot of that has to do with you. He loves you so much. That tells me we're doing something right. You're not _going_ to be a wonderful mother, Tris ... you already _are_ a fantastic mom. Please don't doubt yourself. We just have to do our best every day and learn from our mistakes. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a conversation on how we want our kids raised and soon. I know we've talked about it a little but I think there's a lot more we need to discuss."

"You have so much faith in me," I say.

"Yes, I do, but I have more faith in _us._ We can do anything, remember?" he says. I stare out the window and think about his words. Tobias called Will before we left the lighthouse and had him let the fence guards know that we were coming back early, and the gate is open. We don't stop to give our thanks, we just head straight into the city. I'm tired and would love to get a little sleep before we get to the hospital but I'm too keyed up. Instead I just relax into Tobias' side thinking about where this day will take us. I pray that everything goes smoothly and that our little girl will be healthy. In practically the blink of an eye, Tobias is pulling into the underground garage at the hospital. We find a parking place near the elevators and take it to the fifth floor. My heart is hammering in my chest as we run through the hallways to the obstetrics wing. I'm gasping for breath as we reach the nurse's station.

"I'm checking on Evelyn Johnson," Tobias says breathlessly when a nurse we've never seen before asks if she can help us. "We were called and told that her water broke."

"You do know that it's past visiting hours," the nurse says, although her tone is not unfriendly. "You're going to have to come back tomorrow." I glance at Tobias and see him transform into Four. This nurse doesn't know who she's dealing with.

"There must be some mistake," I say, speaking before he can. "_We _are the baby's parents. I believe we're entitled to be here for her birth, don't you think?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry," she says shuffling the paperwork that's before her with an embarrassed look on her face. "Mr. and Mrs. Eaton?" We both nod. "I guess I was expecting an older couple. I shouldn't have assumed. Please come this way." She leads us down a hallway we've never been down into a small yet surprisingly comfortable waiting area. Instead of hard uncomfortable chairs, it has cozy, well-used couches. There is a large wall-mounted TV set, DVD player, and hundreds of movies on one wall and a small play area tucked away in a corner. It's definitely a family friendly area. "You'll both have to wait here. You will be given updates on Evelyn and the baby's condition. There is a bathroom and small room with vending machines just around the corner. It's marked. I'm sorry for the initial confusion. Congratulations!" She turns and leaves us alone. We sit down on one of the couches and snuggle into each other. Seconds turn into minutes which drag into hours and soon we see the sun coming up. We've been given regular updates just like the nurse told us we would, and her labor is progressing very slowly. Under normal circumstances, she would be given a drug to help her along but it isn't advised in women with preeclampsia so we continue to wait hoping the labor doesn't stall.

"Tobias, do you mind if I go home and get a couple hours sleep then get Tyler and bring him back with me? I miss him so much and knowing he is so close is killing me. I read a sign that says siblings are allowed. He is the baby's brother," I say after additional hours have passed with no sign of the baby coming anytime soon. "It sounds like it's going to be a while."

"Of course. You need to take care of yourself," he says. "Plus, I can't wait to see Tyler."

"I can't either," I say, fatigue and excitement battling for dominance in my body. "Please call me if anything changes and I'll rush back. I love you."

"I love you, too," he says. I give him a quick kiss then walk to our car, which was brought to us by purple hair and snake tattoo who took the old Amity truck we borrowed back to the lighthouse. Within half-an-hour I pull up in front of the Pire. I leave the car at the curb since I'll be going back to the hospital later. I enter the compound right by our offices but don't see anyone around. I head up the stairs to my apartment, fatigue dragging me down ... winning the battle. When I step into my living room, a calming effect washes over my entire body, and I'm surprised I don't collapse onto the couch. It's been too many hours since I slept. I slowly climb the stairs to my bedroom. I look around the familiar space and realize how much I've missed this place. I set the alarm for three hours, put my phone on the end table, and lie down on Tobias' side of the bed. Within minutes I'm fast asleep.

The alarm startles me awake in what seems like a minute or two. I hit the snooze button, not quite ready to get up yet. Arms tighten around me, and I immediately tense up. I look over my shoulder and find Tobias fast asleep, and I automatically relax. He obviously decided to get some rest also. I close my eyes and immediately fall back to sleep. The alarm buzzes again a few minutes later and I jump. Tobias reaches out and turns it off and slowly opens his eyes.

"Hi," I say, sleep thick in my voice.

"Hey," he says, sounding just as tired as I do. "We should probably get up." He grabs his phone and scrolls through his messages. "She's still laboring, and she hasn't progressed while we've been gone, and they're starting to worry that her labor has stalled. She might need a C-section. I think we need to get back to the hospital as soon as we can."

"Will you call Stella and let her know we're going to pick up Tyler and take him with us," I say. "I need to use the bathroom." When I finish freshening up in the rest room, I go downstairs and meet Tobias.

"Ready?" he says. "I'm really going to miss the lighthouse but it's nice to be home."

"I feel the exact same way," I say. "Our real lives have been on hold the past week. It will be nice to get back to our old routine." I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him. It starts out slow and tender and turns fiery and passionate. "I am going to miss being able to make love to you whenever I want to though. That spoiled me. _You_ spoil me." I go to kiss him again and he groans. "I'm sorry. I know we need to get going."

"I love you," he says right before he gives me what I want. He places his lips gently against mine and gives me a long, lingering, passion-filled kiss leaving us both breathless. "Let's go get Tyler." As we walk hand-in-hand to the Pit, we are bombarded with hellos and congratulations, and I go cherry red all over. I never thought about all the extra attention we would receive once we got home. It reminds me of the early days of our relationship and the first few weeks as leaders. When we enter the daycare center, I spot Tyler playing with Zane. He looks like he has grown. He doesn't see us at first but when he does, his eyes widen, a smile fills his face, and he comes barreling towards us.

"Twis, Fo," he yells happily capturing everyone's attention in the center. We squat down, and he runs directly into our arms. I knew I missed him but I didn't know how much. I hug him tightly and tears actually come into my eyes.

"I've missed you so much," I say into his ear. "I love you."

"Hi, Fo," he says jovially. "Twis, home now?"

"Yes, Four and I are home now," I say. "As a matter of fact, you are coming with us right now. Mommy Evelyn is having her baby." He frowns at the mention of Evelyn.

"No go," he says with a pout. He must think we're going to force him to see his mother again.

"You don't want to come with me? I've missed you like crazy, buddy, and I want you to keep me company. You'll be with me the entire time, I promise," I say. "Are you sure you don't want to spend the afternoon with me?"

"Okay," he says, his smile returning. "I go wit you, Twis." I pick him up, and I hear Tobias chuckle lightly.

"I don't rate with him at all," he quietly says in my ear and I smile up at him. He knows better than that. His little brother loves him more than almost anything. We slowly walk out of the Pit and up to the Pire. Tobias tries several times to take him from me but he won't budge. Once he's in my arms he isn't leaving. I'm surprised we didn't see Will, Christina, or Tori at the very least. It has to be all over Dauntless that the newlyweds are back early from their honeymoon. I put Tyler in his car seat then give in and sit with him after he begs for a while. I text our friends and tell them we're at the hospital because the baby is on the way while Tobias chauffeurs us toward the center of the city. Immediately upon arriving at the hospital, I take Tyler to the cafeteria to get some lunch when he tells me he's hungry. We invite Tobias to join us but he wants to get upstairs and check on his mother's condition. We eat our turkey sandwiches, sweet potato salad, green beans, and bananas quickly then take a sandwich, some chips, and a bottle of water to Tobias. I ask Tyler if he wants to play but he would rather sit on my lap snuggling with me. I ask him what he did while we were gone, and while he's recounting every little detail, sometimes incomprehensibly, he falls asleep. It feels complete now that we're all together. I don't know how else to explain it.

"He sure did miss you," Tobias says, looking down at the peaceful look on the sleeping boys face. "I can tell that you missed him just as much."

"Now that we're home, I have a request," I say with a tired sigh. "Let's never leave our kids for that long ever again. A day or two is okay but almost 10 days is far too long."

"You may not believe this, but I agree 100% with you," he says. "As good of a time as I had with you, I missed him and I missed this … _us_."

"_Good _time?" I say scoffing at him. I don't think that's strong enough of a word unless he has different memories than I do.

"You're right," he says with a stimulating grin. "Let's see … wonderful, spectacular, life changing, sexy as hell. Does that sound more like it?" He laughs heartily, and I have to remind him of Tyler. He apologizes and wraps his arm around my shoulders and pulls me to him. How is it that all my dreams are coming true? Down the hall my daughter is fighting to be born as I'm sitting here with my son asleep in my lap. I shouldn't think those words, not until we've talked to Sheila and I know for certain that I get to be his mother.

"Penny for your thoughts," he asks after I go silent for a while.

"I was just thinking about Tyler. I was reminding myself not to get my hopes up to much," I say.

"You look really sad, love," he says. "I hate seeing you this way."

"I'm not _sad_ … really, I'm not," I say. "I'm happier than I've ever been." We stare into each other's eyes. I start reminiscing over every minute of our delightful honeymoon but have to stop myself. This definitely isn't the place to rip his clothes off and have my way with him but as usual the desire to do so is incredibly strong. Something in his look tells me that he's thinking the exact same thing.

"Mr. and Mrs. Eaton," another new nurse says, interrupting our silent ruminations. "Evelyn's labor has started progressing quickly. She's now dilated at 5 cm and has gained much of that over the past couple of hours. Hopefully it won't take much longer ... as long as it doesn't stall again."

"Thank you," we say in unison. The short conversation wakes Tyler up. He looks around confused and slightly scared.

"Tyler," I say, running my hand through his dark curls. "You're okay. Tris and Four are with you, remember." When he sees us he smiles brightly. I take him to the bathroom, change his diaper, and clean him up. I take him to the cafeteria to get him a snack and some milk then we go back to the waiting room. When we enter the room, Tyler runs to Tobias and gives him the muffin we bought him.

"Thanks, buddy," he says. "Did you have a good time with Zander, Stella, Zane, and his brothers and sisters?"

"Yeah," he says around a mouthful of muffin. "I had lots of fun. Glad you and Twis home now. Miss you."

"We missed you like crazy," Tobias says. "Tris and I got something for you." He reaches behind him and pulls out a handmade wooden toy racecar that we saw when we were at the street fair in Amity. I didn't know that he had bought it. How did I miss that when I was packing? Tyler's eyes get wide as he takes the car from Tobias.

"Tanks, Fo," he says. "Love you." He gives him a big hug and a kiss on the mouth then comes to me and throws his arms around my neck. "Tanks for the caw, Twis! Love you!" He sits at our feet and plays for hours, running it all around the base of the couch and around our boots. The nurse tells us Evelyn's progress has slowed but it is still moving forward. Tobias goes to the cafeteria at suppertime and gets us each a meal and brings it back to the waiting room. After we eat, we put a movie in and Tyler sits transfixed not moving an inch. Tobias and I hold hands on the back of the couch as we try to keep our minds off the long wait.

"Why don't you take him home?" Tobias says at about midnight. Tyler's lying across my lap fast asleep. "I'll call you when I hear something." Just then the door next to us opens and a tall, older man in a long white lab coat comes into the waiting room.

"Mr. and Mrs. Eaton? My name is Dr. Henry," he says. Tobias stands up and shakes his outstretched hand. "Your daughter was born approximately five minutes ago. She is completely healthy. Evelyn's preeclampsia had no effect on her whatsoever. She weighed 6 pounds, 6 ½ ounces and was 19 ½ inches long at the time of her birth." Joy I've never known surges through me. My baby is here and she's healthy!

"When can we see her?" Tobias says, excitement in his voice.

"Soon," the doctor says, "but there is something else you two need to know first. Evelyn's complicated pregnancy and long, hard labor took its toll on her body. I'm afraid she suffered a massive heart attack while she was giving birth. We did everything we could to save both her and the baby but I'm afraid your mother's condition could not be overcome, and she did not make it. I'm sorry for your loss." I hear Tobias gasp.

"I'm so sorry, Four," I whisper. He looks like a lost little boy. This is the second time in his young life he's been told that his mother is dead. No person should have to live through that kind of hell.

"Can we see our daughter now?" he asks. I can hear the anguish in his voice behind his Four mask, and I know he's only wearing it now to protect himself.

"Of course," the doctor says. "Please follow me." Tobias picks Tyler up off of my lap, and we follow the doctor into a small, empty birthing suite. He lies the sleeping toddler on the bed then takes me in his arms.

"I can't believe our daughter was born the same day my mother died," he says sounding numb.

"Why don't you sit down," I say not knowing how to help him. It can't be easy losing a parent no matter how you feel about them. He sits in the small chair next to the bed as the door opens. A tall, pretty nurse with blue eyes and hair as dark as night wearing turquoise scrubs wheels in a little pink and white cart and parks it in front of us.

"I've been told that you've been here nearly 24 hours," she says with a warm smile. "I think you should make this visit short and go home and get a good night's sleep." She smiles brightly at us indicting that she doesn't know that Tobias is Evelyn's son and that along with his profound joy he's grieving also. "You won't get much sleep for a while. Is half an hour okay?"

"Yes, thank you nurse," I say. She turns and walks out of the room, and I look at the little creature laying in the center of the bed swaddled in a white blanket covered with tiny pink hearts. She has wisps of barely there dark brown hair and a slightly misshapen head. "She's so tiny." Tobias puts aside his grief, gets up, and comes to stand beside me. He puts his arm around my shoulder, and we stare at our daughter.

"Do you want to hold her?" he asks, emotion thick in his voice. I look at him and nod my head. He gently slides one hand under her tiny head and the other under her body and picks her up. She looks even smaller in his large, steady hands. I instinctively move and Tobias carefully lays her in the cradle of my arms. She's so soft and warm. She squirms a little at first then settles contentedly into me and doesn't fuss at all, which surprises me. I guess I figured all newborns cried all the time but she seems very comfortable at the moment. Tobias leans over and gently puts his lips on her head and gives her a kiss. I notice tears in his eyes.

"Let me give her to you," I say. He puts his arms just like mine, and I slowly and very carefully give her to her father. I watch joy, grief, and love mingle in his face, and my heart breaks for him.

"She's perfect," he says. "She looks a lot like Tyler don't you think." I study her flawless little face and see what he's seeing … the same small nose that turns up just a bit at the end, the same spare upper lip, which Tobias has also, and the same ears that stick out just a bit too much but not distractingly so. Something amazing happens in this moment, my heart expands ... not literally of course but figuratively. I've often wondered how I was going to be able to continue loving Tobias with every fiber of my being and Tyler the way that I do and have anything left over for the baby … no _babies_ but now I know. My heart will keep expanding, letting me love all the important people in my life the way they need to be loved.


	44. Chapter 44

Tobias and I stand staring in awe at our beautiful angelic-faced baby girl. I lean over and lightly touch my lips to her little head and give her a soft kiss. Her clean, innocent scent swirls around my head making me smile. Tobias is cooing at the tiny infant sleeping contentedly in his arms. I've never seen him look so happy and so lost all at the same time. It makes my heart constrict painfully. I really wish I knew how to help him. The door opens, and the same nurse who brought our daughter into the room walks in.

"I'm afraid that your 30 minutes is up," she says with an apologetic smile on her pretty face. "I need to take her back to the nursery. It's almost time for her feeding. I suggest you take my advice. Go home and get some rest. We'll need to have you both back here at 10 a.m. tomorrow. There's a lot of information we need to go over with you before she can be released. If everything goes as expected, she more than likely will be released after her supper feeding. That is pretty standard. Now, go home, and congratulations on the birth of your beautiful daughter." She expertly takes Tessa out of Tobias' arms and puts her in the portable hospital cart. "Oh, I do have one question for you. I can't believe that I almost forgot. Do you have a name picked out for this lovely little one? I need to put it in her chart."

"Yes," I say.

"Her name is Tessa Beatrice Prior-Eaton," Tobias proudly says, interrupting me. He puts his arm around my shoulders pulling me close, and I wrap my arm tightly around his waist. We both kiss our daughter's head, tell her we love her, then watch the nurse wheel her out of the room.

"Are you okay, Tobias?" I ask, looking up into his unhappy eyes. He sighs loudly.

"I'm so confused right now, Tris," he says, absentmindedly running his fingers through his mess of curls. "I never told you this but before we got married I made the decision to walk away from Evelyn for good. I knew I couldn't allow her to continue to treat me or my family with such disregard. I was going to tell her everything after Tessa was born and we got her settled in at home. Now I'll never have a chance to tell her how I really feel. She went to her grave with me pretending everything was alright." He goes quiet for a time. "I feel guilty for that. I know I shouldn't ... I was just making sure our daughter was born healthy ... but I do. Although I didn't want anything more to do with her, I didn't hate her, and I certainly didn't wish she was dead. I was hoping that with time I could forgive her and let go of this anger." He shakes his head despairingly. "And I don't understand. How can I be angry at her _now_? She's dead. The anger should have disappeared but it didn't. I'm still incredibly annoyed with her. I'm such a terrible son. How I'm feeling right now also makes me second guess locking Marcus out of my life forever." Surprise has to change my face. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I would hear him talk about forgiving Marcus. I wrap my arms around his neck and draw his head down to my shoulder and hug him tightly. He hugs me back just as forcefully.

"I'm sorry for your loss, Tobias," I whisper in his hear. It's all I know to say, "And you're _not_ a bad son." Being a bad son implies being a bad person and he doesn't have a bad bone in his body. "Maybe we should get Tyler home now. We've all had a very long day." He lets me go and carefully picks him up off the bed without waking him. We walk slowly through the maze of hallways to the elevators and go to our car in the underground parking lot. After getting Tyler buckled in his car seat, we drive back to Dauntless in near silence. I wish I knew what to say to him but I don't, so I just stay quiet. After a while, I feel his eyes on me, and I look his way.

"I love you," he says, heartfelt emotion evident in his trembling voice.

"I love you, too," I say. "So much." He reaches across the empty space between us and takes my hand in his. He laces our fingers together and kisses the back of our joined hands. We finish our drive back to Dauntless in complete silence. When we pull into the garage, Tyler stirs and starts crying. After Tobias parks in our regular spot, I quickly get out of the car and get Tyler out of his seat. I hold him for a minute, shushing him lovingly, and waiting for him to settle down. Tobias tries to take him but he won't go to him so I carry him up to our apartment. It's late so we thankfully don't meet anyone along the path. I for one am not in the mood to smile and make nice. When we get home, I kick out of my shoes, take Tyler to his room, change his diaper, put him into his pajamas, and rock him until he falls back to sleep, which doesn't take too long. Tobias comes into the room while I'm tucking him in. We both kiss him goodnight then go into our bedroom

"Can we just concentrate on us tonight?" he roughly says. "Tomorrow we can deal with ... reality. Whatever that is." He steps closer to me and puts his hands on both sides of my face and stares intensely into my eyes. "I remember promising never to use you … use _us _as a distraction, and that's not what this is. I promise. I just want to make love to you. _Please _let me make love to you, Tris." His voice is husky, full of need … almost desperate.

"I love you, Tobias Eaton," I say, "but I'm not sure that's such a good idea." I hate that my words are hurting him even more than he already is. I would like nothing more than to take him to bed right now and make love to him all night long but I don't think it's what he _really_ needs in this moment. "You're hurting right now. Making love isn't going to change that. Maybe we should just talk about how you're feeling." His head drops, and I pull him into the circle of my arms. He starts crying, and I hold him close, crying along with him.

"I don't want to talk. I don't want to _think_," he gruffly says when he can speak again. "If you won't make love to me ... will you at least hold me?" My heart nearly breaks in half at his words. Am I doing the right thing by not giving him what he wants right now?

"Of course I will," I quietly say. He surprises me by letting me go. He walks to our dresser, rummages through the drawers, and returns with some pajamas. I know why it's necessary but I'm going to miss sleeping next to him with the feel of his naked skin pressed intimately up against mine. I change into the silk and lace camisole and shorts set as he slips out of his clothes and into a pair of silk sleep pants He sets the alarm for the later than usual 8 a.m., which should give us a good night's rest. We climb into bed, and he lies in my arms with his head resting on my chest. I run my fingers through his hair as I try to comfort him the best way I know how. After about an hour of cold silence alternating with body wracking sobs he lets out a long, frustrated sigh.

"Tell me what I can do to help you," I say. His red-rimmed dark eyes lift to meet mine.

"I already told you what I want," he says, sounding somewhat like a petulant child who didn't get to play with his favorite toy. I look into his eyes contemplating what it would hurt to make love to this man ... the man I love more than life itself ... when he's hurting as much as he is.

"I love you. You know that right?" I whisper. He slowly nods. I can't help myself and I pull his mouth to mine. He kisses me with an unfamiliar deep need that borders on agonizing. In this moment I realize it was wrong not to give him what he so desperately wanted, what he desperately _needs_. I didn't believe him when he told me he wasn't using us as a distraction. I do now. He was feeling the need to connect with the one person he should be able to trust, and I took that away from him. Tears fill my eyes. "I am _so_ sorry. I shouldn't have said no. You we're needing a distraction, were you?"

"No," he roughly says, gently wiping the tears out of _my_ eyes. "I needed you. I _need_ you."

"Come here," I say. He unhurriedly moves his mouth to mine and kisses me softly, tenderly. The velvety tip of his tongue running lightly across my bottom lip makes me open my mouth for him. He slowly slips his tongue between my parted lips and strokes it seductively with mine. As the kiss deepens, I feel his hands sliding slowly down my body from my neck to my waist, barely grazing my breasts, and I sigh into his open mouth. He moves his mouth to the sensitive spot on my neck just below my left earlobe and kisses me tenderly, lovingly. I move my hands up his rippled back into his curls, pulling him closer to me. When the need I'm feeling becomes dizzying, I pull his mouth back to mine and give him a long, drugging kiss. He slowly moves my camisole up and over my head then tosses it to the side. I feel his powerful hand delicately reach out to touch my breast and I shiver. As I thoroughly enjoy the attention he's paying my aching breast, I move my hands across his broad muscled chest with a subtle touch, teasing his nipples occasionally. I place targeted kisses across his neck, shoulders, and pecs until I land on his already hard nipples. When I take one into my hot, wet mouth, he groans a deep guttural moan from deep within his chest. I swear I can feel him shudder beneath my lips as I circle the hard bud with just the very tip of my tongue. I suck his nipple deep into my mouth and nibble lightly, and I feel his hands travel up my body and grip my head closer to his chest.

"Oh, God, Tris," he breathlessly says.

"Do you like that?" I say around his nipple and he moans something that sounds like a yes, making me smile. I lightly trail my tongue, placing kisses at strategic points across his chest to his other nipple. I lick all around it then suck on it gently. He lets out a long moan and moves his body against mine, letting me feel his growing need and a gasp escapes my lips. I stop playing with his sensitive bud and look up at him. I see the need I'm now feeling mirrored in his eyes. I start kissing my way down his taut abs until I'm lying between his parted legs, French kissing his navel seductively. I move my hands to the waistband of his silk boxers, and he raises his hips ever so slightly so I can slide them down his muscular legs and toss them to the floor. I look up into his eyes and deliberately and very slowly wet my lips with the very tip of my tongue. His eyes glaze over with lust. I glide my hand over his rigid length, and he takes a ragged breath in and growls loudly. I continue caressing his hard shaft with just the palm of my hand while I place kisses all around his hips and thighs. I dart my tongue out and lick up his hot, distended flesh, never taking my eyes off his. Out of the corner of my eye I see that he has balled his hands up into white-knuckled fists. I run the tip of my tongue along the sensitive ridge of the head, and he groans even louder. I finally take him into my mouth, and I see his eyes glaze further. I start the synchronized movement of my mouth and hand, bringing him closer to release.

"Tris," he moans. "Please." I pick up the pace with my mouth and hand knowing he needs relief. Each dip of my head takes him further into my open mouth until he's hammering the back of my throat, seeking entrance. We stare into each other's eyes as he swells then explodes. I keep him completely in my mouth as he empties himself fully. After a minute or two of continued teasing and additional stimulation, I take him out of my mouth and start kissing my way back up his naked body.

When I reach his right shoulder, moving slowly with every intention of teasing his right ear, he moves my mouth to his and kisses me fiercely, his deep need showing. He rolls us until I'm laying beneath his heavy body. He leans back and puts his hands on my silky sleep shorts and slowly pulls them down my legs and tosses them away. He kneels on the bed between my parted legs and runs his eyes up and down my body. It's as if I can actually feel the heat of his gaze everywhere it touches. I move one leg and rub my foot up and down his chest, and he growls causing me to smile seductively. He lies down on his side beside me and places his lips against my neck and starts kissing me tenderly, focusing on the extra sensitive spot beneath my left ear again. He moves me so that one of my legs is trapped between his, effectively opening my body to him. He slowly glides his hand down my body, grazing all the responsive, aching areas while his mouth is on my neck. He slips his hand between my legs, searches the folds, and starts a gentle, ghost-like pressure with the tip of his finger on my nubbin. I moan deeply at the contact and feel his lips turn up into a smile on my neck. He slips his hand lower and slides his middle finger into my tight, moist womanhood. My breath starts coming quicker as he inserts a second into my depths and places a gentle pressure on my aching bundle of nerves with the pad of his thumb. As he quickens the pace, I start thrusting my hips upward to meet his probing fingers. He moves his mouth up and sticks his tongue in my ear, imitating the rhythm of his pounding digits. I feel my release fast approaching as he speeds the pace even further. My body tenses, and I spasm around his penetrating fingers. He keeps up the hectic speed until I come down from my high, and then he slowly stops the motion of his hand and withdraws his fingers from me.

He's nibbling on my earlobe, and I can't stand it anymore. I grab a hold of his head and draw his mouth to mine for a savage kiss. He breaks free from my hold when we are both breathless and starts kissing his way down my body. He does his normal routine of kissing my right collarbone and shoulder then making his way across my chest to my ravens. He kisses them as his hand skims skillfully across my skin, leaving a trail of fire. I drag in a jagged breath as he puts his burning hot, sweltering mouth on my breast and sucks the nipple between his moist lips. I feel his free hand cover my other breast, kneading gently. I arch my back off the mattress as he loves my enlarged breasts. He's always paid special attention to my chest but since they've expanded with the pregnancy, he seems to thoroughly enjoy himself. I grab a hold of his head and wind my fingers in his hair, holding him close to me as he licks, sucks, and nibbles on my hard buds.

"Tobias," I moan. He moves his mouth to my other breast, giving special treatment that only he knows how to give to the nipple, and I feel a ripple of pleasure move from the hard sensitive bud to my aching center. After he releases his hold on my throbbing breasts, he continues placing little kisses along my expanding tummy and pelvic bones. I spread my legs for him, anticipating the moment his mouth is on me. He kisses every inch of one thigh before moving to the other one and giving it the same gratifying yet tortuous treatment. My body starts squirming, trying to get his lips and tongue to land where it wants them but he keeps denying me. "Please." It comes out as a long drawn out, pitiful groan. He once again kisses the inside of my thigh. I leverage myself up on my elbows so I can watch what he's about to do. He grins at me and darts his tongue out of his mouth and starts licking all around my moist entrance. He even places a kiss or two. The initial contact of his tongue on my nubbin almost makes me come. He gets a good hold on my legs, keeping me trapped against his mouth and licks lightly from just below my opening clear up and across my nubbin. My body physically shudders and shakes at the faint touch. I start panting as he keeps up the long, wet strokes with his talented tongue. When he draws the aching bundle of nerves between his lips, my head flops back, and he moves his mouth back to my thigh. He kisses me until it feels like the rapidly-departing orgasm will never be found again. He must like me watching what he's doing so I bring my eyes to his then concentrate on his tongue, which is dancing gently across my nubbin, letting him lead me back up the cliff I just so brutally descended. My breath starts coming faster and faster, and I thrust my hips up to meet his hot, wet tongue. I slip over the edge of a mighty cliff as his tongue never leaves the throbbing, sensitive bundle of nerves. He keeps up the swirl as another shock quakes through my body, and I collapse onto the bed, panting like a wild woman. When I open my eyes, he is above me staring at me with that damn cocky grin of his. I can always tell when he thoroughly enjoys _my _orgasm because he wears this smirk. He slowly leans down and kisses my neck, sending a shiver of pleasure through me.

"Turn over," he huskily says into my ear. My tummy tightens at his words, and I do as he says and roll over onto my stomach. I feel his hands on my legs, spreading them further then I feel his weight on me as he places himself at my moist entrance. He applies a steady pressure and slides into me fully. I gasp at the feeling of fullness that I treasure. It hasn't varied one tiny bit from the first time he made love to me. I love the feeling of him deep inside of me, touching me everywhere at once … stretching me … filling me. There's absolutely nothing like it. He sets a leisurely in-and-out pace as he kisses my neck. I lace our fingers together and relish the feelings that he is providing. As we quicken the pace, our need starts to overwhelm us. He draws me up on my knees and starts thrusting into me vigorously as I move myself back on his hard length forcefully. After a couple minutes of this pace, I move off of him and turn around. I pull him down on top of me, and he covers my body with his and enters me with one driving thrust. I gasp and pull his mouth to mine just in time for him to catch my scream of pure pleasure. He pulls back, taking some of his weight off of me but leaving the majority, and stares into my eyes. He puts his hands on either side of my face and stares at me with such love and adoration as we slow the frenzied pace, prolonging this blissful moment. He kisses me tenderly as he makes love to me with long, slow strokes. When we let the passion build again to crazy heights, I push on his chest and he rolls us over. He relinquishes control, and I'm glad to take over. I press myself down fully to meet every one of his powerful upward trusts. I arch toward his possessive drives as I feel him swelling and lengthening inside me as we collide into one another. He flips us over, leans over me on his forearms as his fingers wrap themselves in my hair, and moves within me at a fast and frantic pace. I run one hand up his arm and grasp his shoulder tightly, and I run the other one over his back to cup his butt firmly. He keeps up the impressive pace as my orgasm gets closer and closer. Just as I'm slipping over another steep cliff, falling toward my sweet death, he groans, and I feel him spill his seed into the depths of my body. He shudders as he continues to empty himself into me, and I have mini spasms of pleasure, rhythmically squeezing his manhood. Finally we slow then stop. He once again gives me his full weight for a minute or two. I know one day soon we won't be able to lay like this when we're spent because of the baby that's growing inside me so I take advantage of it right now and grasp ahold of him tightly not wanting him to move. He finally pulls out of me and gathers me into his waiting arms. He holds me close, caressing my cheek lovingly.

"Thank you," he quietly says. I tilt my head back and look into his eyes, his expression pained yet content. "You didn't have to do that, you know."

"What, make love?" I say. "I wouldn't have made love to you if I didn't want to. I wanted to, Tobias."

"I believe you," he says with a physically and emotionally exhausted smile. "We should probably get some sleep. Tomorrow's going to be a big day. Plus, I don't know about you but I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open."

"Are you okay?" I ask, running the tips of my fingertips below his weary eyes. "I'm worried about you."

"Please try not to worry about me, love," he says kissing my hair. "It's not good for you or the baby to worry too much. I'll be okay. It's just going to take some time." He releases his hold on me, slides out of bed, and retrieves our discarded pajamas from the floor. He tosses me mine and watches me put them back on as he's sliding into his sleep pants. He climbs back into bed, wraps me in his arms, and pulls the quilt up to cover us. He stares into my eyes for a while before he speaks. "I love you, Tris. Thank you for everything you do. You mean the world to me. The news of Evelyn's death was ... shocking. On one hand, it made me ... sad, you witnessed the tears but on the other hand, it made me ... numb. I needed to make love to you tonight not because I was wanting to forget but because I was wanting to feel."

"I didn't know," I whisper. "When I realized you weren't looking for a distraction, I could have kicked myself. I'm so sorry, Tobias. For everything."

"I know you are," he says, moving his mouth to mine for a sweet, soft, tender goodnight kiss. When we part, I roll in his arms and he molds every inch of his body to mine, and I almost instantly fall into a peaceful sleep wrapped in the strong, loving arms of my husband.


	45. Chapter 45

The pitter-patter of little feet moving across the hardwood floor wakes me up, and I can't help but groan. I know it has to be early. It always is when he wants in bed with us. I drag my tired eyes open and find Tyler standing beside the bed staring at me. I can't help but smile at him, and he lifts his little arms up to me. I pull him into bed, and he climbs up and over me, snuggling in between Tobias and me. I look at the clock and realize we still have more than three hours before the alarm goes off so I run my fingers through Tyler's hair hoping he will go back to sleep. After a few minutes I slowly open my eyes and find him nestled up against my chest with a content look on his sleeping face. I stare at him realizing just how much I missed him this past week. I never want to be apart from him for that long ever again.

My eyes slide to Tobias, and I study his face. It's usually peaceful when he's sleeping but right now he looks tense, unhappy. He's taking his mother's death harder than I expected he would. I know I'm projecting my feeling for her on to him. Of course he's going to grieve for his mother. I would be a mess if our roles were reversed. I've known a few people who have died but I've never had someone close to me pass away unless I count Al so I can't imagine what he's going through right now. I wish there was something I could do to help him through this difficult time. I reach over and run my hand through his hair but he doesn't stir. I close my eyes knowing I need to get more sleep because this is going to be a big day. We get to bring our little girl home today.

I try to go back to sleep but my mind is running a million miles a minute in hundreds of different directions. Tobias and I haven't done any shopping for the new baby yet. We decided to do it when we got home from our honeymoon so we have nothing here for her. I make a mental list of everything we need and wonder if we'll be able to pick it all up before we have to go to the hospital at 10 a.m. After lying in bed stewing about things, I decide that I might as well get up and take a shower. I get out of bed as carefully as possible, making sure I don't wake Tobias or Tyler. I head into the bathroom and turn the water on in the shower letting the hot water run through the pipes for the first time in over a week. I strip out of my pajamas and throw them in the hamper. I step into the steamy shower and stand under the hot water spray, letting it untangle my frazzled nerves. I take my coconut-scented body wash and squeeze it out on my nylon poof. I get a good lather going before I start spreading it all over my body. When I reach my chest, my breasts feel slightly bigger and they hurt. Just lightly running my hands over them is painful this morning. I move the poof lower and I can't stop the gasp from escaping my parted lips. There between my hip bones is a protrusion. I swear yesterday I still had a nearly flat tummy. Peanut must have grown overnight. I gently cover my bump with my hands and smile. Although I know I'm going to have a baby, it makes it real seeing and feeling the changes in my body. I take my time with the rest of my shower knowing there's no need to hurry. After I step out, I dry myself off. I once again run my hands over my tummy and relish the feel.

"Am I interrupting something?" Tobias says with an odd sound in his voice. I meet his eyes in the mirror, and he gives me a little smirk. "I mean it isn't every day that I come into the bathroom to find my wife touching herself." I immediately drop my hands and blush from head to toe. I never thought what it would look like if someone walked in. I was just admiring where my baby is growing. I slowly turn to face him. He lets his eyes wander over my naked body, and when they reach my abdomen, they widen.

"I was feeling my tummy," I say bashfully. He takes a couple steps forward and puts his large hand over my small bump.

"How?" he says sounding mystified. "You weren't this way yesterday."

"Peanut must have had a growth spurt overnight," I say covering his hand with mine. We look into each other's eyes and smile brightly.

"I'm sorry for that crack about touching yourself. I can see that I embarrassed you. I didn't mean to," he say. "I'm truly sorry."

"It's okay," I say. "Will you do me a favor? Will you go get me something to wear? I got so used to running around naked while we were in Amity that I forgot to bring in an outfit." His eyes smolder at me for a moment.

"Do you want anything particular?" he asks when he realizes I'm not really in the mood to make love.

"Something comfortable," I say.

"Okay," he says. He leans over and tenderly kisses my lips then goes into our bedroom. He returns with just what I asked for. While he's in the shower, I put on the cotton bra and underwear set, stretchy black yoga pants, and form-fitting black t-shirt with various sized dark red circles all over it. When I'm done I go into the bedroom and stand in front of the mirror sideways. Yep, I'm definitely showing. I look toward the bed and see that Tyler is still sound asleep so I go downstairs and sit at the island making a list of items we need for Tessa. It has everything from diapers to a baby bed on it. The enormity of it is overwhelming. I look at the clock and pick up my phone. I send Christina a text and am surprised to get an immediate response. Within minutes I'm opening my front door to my overly excited best friend.

"I'm so glad you're home," she says while she's hugging me so tight I can hardly breathe. "Oh my! Look at you. You're showing now. What a difference almost two weeks can make. So is the baby here yet?"

"Evelyn had a long, hard, labor and delivery," I say. "The baby was born right before midnight last night. Four and I have a healthy beautiful little girl but," I take a deep breath, "Evelyn had a heart attack and died."

"Oh, my God!" she says with shock on her face. "How is Four?"

"He's taking it pretty hard," I say. "It can't be easy. This is the second time he's been told she died. That has to mess with someone."

"I feel bad for him but I'm excited for both of you," she says with a smile. "What's her name?"

"Tessa Beatrice," Tobias says from the bottom of the stairs with a proud smile. "She was born yesterday, April 16, at 11:48 p.m. She weighed 6 pounds 6 ½ ounces and was 19 ½ inches long."

"Congratulations, Four," she says with a bright smile then her face goes somber and she adds, "I'm sorry about your mom."

"Thank you, Christina," he says. "It was a shock. I'm still processing it."

"I asked you over here to see if you could do us a _huge_ favor," I say. "We put off getting anything ... and I do mean anything ... for the baby thinking we would have plenty of time after our honeymoon and now we have nothing for her and she comes home today. Four, Tyler, and I have to be at the hospital all day, and I have a huge list of things we need, and we don't have time to get them. Would you be willing to go shopping for us?"

"Sure! Anything to help," she says. If there is one constant in my life I can count on it is Christina and her love of shopping. "Do you have a list?" I slide the piece of paper to her. She reads over it and nods her head. "It's sizable but totally doable."

"If they have a baby bed that matches Tyler's bed, we would like that one. I also think we need two bassinets, one for upstairs and one for down here," I say, feeling a slight panic set in every time I think of bringing Tessa home. Tyler comes down the stairs dragging a blanket off his bed behind him.

"I'll get him ready," Tobias says, going across the room and picking him up. He carries him back upstairs for a bath. I instruct Christina to have someone set up one of the bassinets in our bedroom and the other here in the living room so Tessa will have a place to sleep when we get home, and she makes a note of it.

"We don't need a lot of clothes," I say, remembering the wardrobe she amassed for Tyler the day he came to live with us. "Just a few sleepers and gowns for right now. Before we leave for the hospital, we'll stop by the boutique and buy her an outfit to come home in and then go to the home store and get a car seat for her. We'll need you to get everything else."

"Okay," she says excitedly. A knock on the door interrupts our conversation. I cross the room and open the door to Will. "I told you I would be back soon." They exchange an odd look. I wonder what that's about. "Four and Tris' baby is here." Will beams at the news.

"Congratulations, Tris," he says. "What's her name?"

"Tessa Beatrice," I say.

"That's very pretty," he says.

"Have you two decided on a name yet?" I ask eying Christina. She seems about half again as big as she did just a week-and-a-half ago.

"We're still tossing around some things," Will says. "We're having a hard time agreeing. How did you and Four decide on a name?" I think about it for a while wondering why it was so easy to name her.

"Well, Four and I talked about what kind of names we like and don't like then we each made a list of our favorites. I vetoed some off his list, and he did the same with mine then we picked our favorites from what remained off of each other's list. We then took the names that were left and picked our favorite. It so happened to be his favorite name so I guess I did cave just a little but I love it just as much as he does."

"So you like old fashioned names the best?" Christina says. I know what "old fashioned" means to people in four out of the five factions, Abnegation!

"Actually you wouldn't know it by her Abnegation-sounding name, but the list was full of more unusual names," I say. Tyler walks down the stairs followed closely by Tobias and comes straight to me. I lift him up on my lap, and he wraps his arms around me.

"Would you two like to have breakfast with us," Tobias asks.

"We don't want to intrude. It's technically still your honeymoon," Will says. Tobias and I exchange a glance. They're keeping something from us.

"Alright, what's up?" Tobias says. Will and Christina look at each other. "_What_?"

"We don't want to upset you," Will says. Tobias slowly transforms into Four, and I see Will swallow nervously. "Try to stay calm, okay. Peter escaped from custody. We had him on lockdown but he disappeared during a shift change. We watched the security video immediately, it had been turned off … just like the night of Tris' attack. He has someone helping him, and we have no idea who it is. Tori and I questioned all the control room workers but they weren't helpful. They honestly didn't seem like they knew anything. No one was acting suspicious either. We did let them know that you would be speaking with them when you returned." I don't know what's worse, the petrified look on Will's face, the false calm on Tobias', or the fact that Peter escaped.

"Why wasn't I informed of his escape?" he says menacingly. Oh, this isn't good. I quietly tell Tyler to go to his room and play until we come get him for breakfast. I sit him on his feet, and he runs to the stairs then walks up them to go to his room. I get up and move in between Will and Tobias.

"We didn't want to bother you on your honeymoon," he says, raising his chin a bit, trying not to cower.

"That was nice of you," I say trying to diffuse the tension. Tobias glances in my direction with a hard look. "When did he escape, Will?"

"Thursday morning," he says, his voice low and somewhat shaky. My heart immediately starts hammering in my chest knowing there was a possibility that we could have run into him again while we were exploring the outskirts of Amity. Almost like he could read my mind, Will adds, "We put extra workers on the fence to make sure he didn't get back to Amity, and we also have two patrols searching outside the fence at all times. There have been no sightings outside the fence … _or_ inside. I'm sorry, Four. We thought we were doing the right thing by not telling you until you were home." Tobias sighs deeply and closes his eyes. When he opens them I see my husband again.

"I understand why you waited but I would have been happier if I had gotten the information as soon as that little bastard escaped," he says, also now sounding like himself. Will furrows his eyebrows and looks at us.

"If I were in your place I would be upset too," Will says extending his hand to Tobias. "I would have wanted the information if it involved my family."

"It's okay, man," he says shaking his hand. "The offer for breakfast still stands. Would you and Christina like to join us?"

"We would love to," Christina says happily. While Tobias makes us pancakes and bacon, she tries to get as many details as she can out of me about our honeymoon. I relent and tell her all about the lighthouse, street fair, concert, and the exploring. She hangs intently on every word. I'm careful not to give her any intimate details though but she can tell by my glow that things are back to normal. She catches me up on all the Dauntless gossip from while we were gone. I'm not really interested but she looks so happy that I don't have the heart to stop her.

After breakfast is over, we say goodbye to our friends and tell them we'll probably be late and won't see them until tomorrow. Tobias puts Tyler on his shoulders, and we walk down to the Pit. We get numerous congratulations, hellos, and glad your backs as we walk the path. We both blush slightly from all the extra attention. Near the boutique, we split up. I look for an outfit to bring Tessa home in while Tobias and Tyler purchase a baby carrier/car seat combination, which is also a stroller. I never knew such a thing existed. I'm still looking at the overwhelming number of little dresses when they come into the store to get me. They help me pick out the perfect little outfit, a black gown with the word love spelled out in leopard print fabric and a matching black hat with a leopard print heart on it. She's going to look so cute in it, and since it's a gown, it gives easy access to change her diaper. We pay for the item then finally leave. We make it to the hospital with just a few minutes to spare before 10 a.m. We walk up to the nursery and let the nurse sitting behind the counter know that we're here to see Tessa Eaton. She congratulates us on the birth of our daughter and leads us into a large private room. Tyler sits on the floor in the corner and plays with his toys, and Tobias and I sit on the small couch and wait for our daughter to be brought in. I feel nervous energy radiating off of me so I look Tobias' way to try and calm myself. I see a sadness and confusion in him, and if I'm being perfectly honest, there's also an anger about him.

"How are you?" I ask. "Is there anything I can do for you?" He looks into my eyes and smiles but it doesn't reach his eyes.

"I'm upset I wasn't informed of Peter's escape. They should have let me know. We could have run into him outside of Amity. What if he had tried to hurt you again? They should have said something," he says.

"You know that's not what I mean," I quietly say. "Your mom died last night, Tobias. How are you doing? I don't want to pry but you don't have to suffer in silence. I'm here for you." I run my hand down his face, and he gathers me up in his arms. He places his lips to mine for a light kiss. I hear Tyler giggling, and I tear my lips away from Tobias' with a slight groan. "When you're ready to let me in, I'm here."

"Thank you for not pushing," he says, hanging his head. "I honestly don't know how I feel other than guilty like I told you last night. That hasn't changed. And thank you again for last night." I meet his eyes and blush slightly remembering our lovemaking. I pull his mouth to mine and kiss him tenderly again ignoring Tyler's giggles. The door opens up and in walks Isobel pushing a pink hospital cart.

"Hi, Tris, Four," she says. "Congratulations on this beauty."

"You have got to be the busiest nurse in the city," I say with a smile. "I have to be honest, I'm glad it's you. I consider you a friend not just the city's best nurse."

"Thanks, Tris," she says with a blush. "I feel the same way. So, Tessa just ate. Right now I'm going to leave her here with you for some bonding time. Diapers are on the cart. I'll be back in an hour to start going over some important information. If you need anything, just call me at this number, and I'll come right back." She hands me a slip of paper with a phone number on it.

"Thanks, Isobel," Tobias says and I add, "We appreciate it." Tobias gets up and takes Tessa who is sound asleep out of the cart and hands her to me. This catches Tyler's attention, and he stares at us jealously.

"Why don't you come over here and meet your sister," Tobias says. Tyler slowly gets to his feet, leaving his toys where they fall and comes to us. He stands in front of me eyeing the little pink bundle in my arms. Tobias picks him up and places him on his lap so he can get a good look at his baby sister. "This is Tessa." He lifts his hand and strokes the baby's head tenderly. Tyler lifts his hand to imitate his big brother but stops when Tobias speaks. "You have to be _very_ careful with her. You can be nice, right?" He nods his head then strokes her head. She squirms in my arms a bit as he touches her but she never quite wakes up. We sit on the couch as a family, staring at this tiny miracle laying in my arms. After a while Tyler loses interest and returns to his toys. The more I study her face, the more I see Tyler and Tobias, which obviously means she takes after Evelyn yet I don't see her at all. I wonder if Tobias sees his mother when he looks at her. I would love to ask but he seems rather content right now, and I don't want to bring up the painful subject of his mother's death.

Isobel comes back in just as promised exactly one hour later. She starts by giving us information on basic newborn care: Bonding, swaddling, bathing, umbilical cord care, feeding, changing, safety, and what position she should sleep in. I have to admit, the onslaught of information is overwhelming.

"Tris, are you wanting to breast feed her?" Isobel asks. I know I must be looking at her like she's crazy but her warm smile never falters.

"I can ... _breastfeed_ her?" I slowly ask, still not believing what I'm hearing.

"Of course you can," she says. "Erudite invented a pill that accelerates milk production in a women who is already pregnant. There are a few things you'll need to do to prepare yourself. You need to massage your breasts and let Tessa latch onto your nipple at regular intervals over the next 48-72 hours. Her suckling will speed lactation even further."

"Yes, it's something I want to do. I didn't think I would be able to do it with her since she's adopted," I say. "I have a couple questions though. It won't be harmful to my pregnancy, will it and what about poor Tessa. She'll get hungry if there's no milk to feed her."

"I'll address your concerns about Tessa first," she says with a smile. "She is being fed donated breast milk until you are able to feed her yourself, and that is how you will continue feeding her until your supply comes in, which won't take long ... two to three days at the most. She won't go hungry, Tris."

"Wow," I say, totally shocked. "I had no idea. I didn't think anything like this was possible."

"For all the trouble Erudite causes, they do come up with some remarkable advances in technology once in a while," she says with a smirk on her face. "As for it harming your pregnancy, breastfeeding triggers the release of oxytocin, which is the hormone that causes contractions, so you will need closer monitoring throughout the pregnancy but especially in the later stages, and there is a chance of stronger-than-usual false labor before you actually deliver or even premature labor." That doesn't sound good.

"I don't know, Isobel. That sounds like it could hurt the baby and if there's even a slight chance that could happen, I don't want to breastfeed her," I say, exhilarated and apprehensive at the same time.

"I promise, we will watch you carefully, Tris, and I will let you know the physical signs of early labor. No, it won't harm the baby at all," she says.

"Yes, I want to be able to feed her myself," I say getting a touch emotional. I feel Tobias tighten his arm around me. I look into his eyes and smile. "I never thought it was possible."

"Hey, it's okay," he says reaching up and wiping away the stray tear. "Don't cry."

"I'm going to go get you the first dose of medication," Isobel says. "You will take it three times a day for the next two weeks. After the dose, we will put Tessa on each breast for 5 minutes and then you can give her a bottle." I look at Tobias and suddenly feel self-conscious. He seems to know what's going through my mind, and he caresses my face and smiles at me.

"I'll take Tyler to get some lunch," he says. "Do you want anything?"

"Tris will be brought lunch by the cafeteria workers," Isobel says. "How about you come back in an hour." Tobias, Tyler, and Isobel all leave the room at the same time leaving me alone with Tessa for the first time. She slowly opens her eyes, blinking a few times then her little pink lips shape a perfect round "O" as she yawns. I see that her eyes are an unfamiliar blue and something I read once comes back to me. A baby's eye color actually changes somewhere around two to three months into their permanent shade. She starts wrinkling her little nose. I can't help myself. I run my finger down her cheek, and she turns her little head toward my touch.

"I see she's hungry," Isobel says when she comes back into the room. I furrow my eyebrows at her then look back at Tessa. She's not crying or even fussing. She's just squirming in my arms a bit, nuzzling into my chest, and making the cutest little face. "Here, take this." She gives me a little paper cup with a large yellow pill in it and a glass of water. I swallow the pill down immediately.

"How do you know she's hungry?" I say. "She's not crying."

"There are several different feeding cues," she says taking Tessa from me and laying her in the cart. "Crying is a later sign of hunger. With time you'll see them just as easily as I do. Some of the most common are putting her fingers or fist in her mouth; moving her head toward your breast while you hold her; making faces; sucking on her lips, tongue, or someone's skin; fidgeting, fussing, and basically moving around a lot; and sighing or whimpering."

"Am I going to get the hang of this?" I say with a sigh of my own.

"Of course," she says. "Every first time mother has doubts. I did."

"You have kids?" I ask, stunned. I truly consider Isobel a friend but I now realize I don't know the first thing about her.

"Yeah," she says with a smile. "Twin three-year-old boys, Jace and Alec. I got their names from a really old series of books I loved as a teenager and to be honest still do. My boys are quite the handful. Even though I'm a nurse, and I know the details of childrearing, I totally freaked out. I'll let you in on a little secret. You can read pamphlets and books and talk to others, but nothing replaces firsthand experience. Remember that. You will learn to be a mother as you go."

"Okay," I say calming, knowing that even she had trouble when her babies were born.

"This is a nursing drape," she says handing me what looks like a large folded piece of thick but flexible paper. "Why don't you put it on then we'll get started. Like I said, we'll begin with five minutes on each breast then you can feed her for the first time." She turns her back and fusses over Tessa while I change out of my comfortable t-shirt into the revealing paper covering. This thing is worse than a dreaded hospital gown.

"Okay, I'm ready," I say.

"Why don't you sit in the chair? It is recommended to feed the baby on demand, which basically means whenever she's hungry. This is a nursing pillow," she says holding up a U-shaped pink pillow. "Place it on your lap so that the baby is right at breast height." I put the pillow in my lap, and she puts Tessa in my arms again. "That's great. Okay, tuck her tush into the crook of your arm. Run your forearm along the length of her back, supporting her head and neck with your thumb and forefinger behind her ears." I do everything she says as she says it. She adjusts my hold on my daughter a little then says, "You're doing great, Tris. This hold gives you total control over her entire body for the initial latch. With your other arm, hold your breast in a U-shape and put her up to it. This will make nursing much easier."

I take a deep breath, holding my baby the way Isobel showed me, and bring her to my breast. She instinctually starts sucking and it takes me a moment to get her latched on properly. The pulling on my nipple is foreign yet familiar at the same time and slightly painful, but there is nothing sexual about it like I was secretly afraid. I watch as she sucks greedily, amazed at the sight before me. After five minutes, I move her to my other breast while Isobel watches over me, encouraging me the entire time. Tessa latches on easier this time and sucks purposefully expecting milk but not receiving any. I have none to give her … yet. After nearly five minutes she wrinkles her little face and angrily starts wailing. This is the first time I've heard her cry. It's a pitiful little mewing sound that pulls at my heartstrings. My poor baby is hungry, and I'm not providing for her. Even though I know why I'm doing this, it makes me feel like I'm failing as a mother already. I cover myself up, and Isobel gives me a bottle with a few ounces of donated breast milk. I put it in Tessa's mouth, and after she calms down and gets a good hold on the nipple, she starts sucking greedily once again. She slows when the milk starts flowing from the bottle into her waiting mouth. I feel better when I see her getting the nutrition she needs.

After Tessa is finished eating she goes back to sleep almost immediately. I put her in the little bed, get redressed, and then eat the well-balanced lunch the cafeteria delivered while I talk to Isobel about her life, getting to know her better. She's is actually younger than I thought she would be. She just turned 27 about two months ago. She was born in Candor but chose Erudite to be with her husband, Carter, who she met in upper levels. They have been happily married for eight years and just have the two boys, although she's been thinking about another baby recently. Her husband is a general surgeon who has hours three days a week at the small clinic across the street where Isobel spends most of her work days. When he's not performing surgeries or seeing patients at the clinic, he is a researcher at Erudite, trying to make all our lives better. He was supposed to attend our wedding with Isobel but he was called away at the last minute to perform an emergency appendectomy.

Isobel excuses herself after receiving a page, and I start to go over the pamphlet detailing breastfeeding she gave me, which includes positioning tips, feeding cues, burping techniques, and so much more. I finally put it in the diaper bag to read over later. My brain is on overload at the moment, and all I really want to do is to hold my daughter. I change her diaper then carry her to the couch just as Tobias and Tyler come back into the room followed by Sheila.

"Hello, Sheila," I say. "How are you?" An anxious feeling starts in the pit of my stomach and moves rapidly outward making me tremble internally. I hold Tessa just a little closer trying to help calm myself. Tobias joins me on the couch and puts his arm around me, expectation on his face. Tyler, not sensing the growing trepidation in the room, goes back to his toys and plays quietly in the corner.

"I'm good, Tris," she says. "Congratulations on the baby. I have some news for you two. Ethan Black was in the process of signing his parental rights away when he received news of Evelyn's death. I'm afraid he changed his mind, and now he wants custody of Tyler."

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><p><strong>AN: I added a link ****to my profile**** of what Tessa's outfit they bring her home in looks like. **

**I'm not a mom. The youngest baby I have taken care of was 6 weeks old. I had to do _a lot_ of research online about breastfeeding and newborn care. Hopefully what I've written sounds natural. As for breastfeeding an adopted infant, it is possible with month's of preparation but I figured since this is in the future and Erudite are smarty pants that they would have come up with some incredible breakthrough. **

**Some answers to questions. 1) My story will always be from Tris' point of view only. The main reason is, having multiple POVs distracts me. I get so lost but then again, I am a _terrible_ reader. 2) I don't know if I will ever do the doctor role-play I mentioned early in this story. The comment was more banter between Tris and Tobias than anything else. 3) As for Evelyn dying. This may sound horrible but I introduced her into this story with the intent of having her die during childbirth giving Tris and Tobias the baby. She was never sticking around. 4) Someone asked for a link to a picture of what Tyler might look like. This is something I can't give because I don't have one. Just imagine a little Tobias (whatever he looks like in your mind) running around. That's what I do!**

**I hope everyone has a safe and happy Christmas Eve!**

**-Moonshine**


	46. Chapter 46

**A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! My present to you ... the next chapter! - Um, I could have SWORN I uploaded this yesterday. Oh well! Here you go. **

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><p>I close my eyes and inhale deeply through my nose, trying to calm my breaking heart. I knew my life was going too well lately and things had to start falling apart sooner or later. This day can't get any worse. First Tobias' mother dies giving birth, then we find out Peter escaped from custody, and now the man who didn't want anything to do with Tyler is going to take him away from me forever. This thought makes me start to hyperventilate and tears flood my eyes.<p>

"Please calm down, love," Tobias says with obvious pain in his voice. "We're going to fight this."

"I am so sorry, Tris," Sheila says. "This turn of events was unexpected to say the least. I know it isn't a consolation but I totally agree with Four. You need to fight. Under normal circumstances I wouldn't speak directly to you but you and Four deserve to be his parents, and that is what will be in my reports and, if necessary, what I will testify to in court. Tyler will remain in your custody until a ruling can be made but Mr. Black will have supervised hour-long daily visitation with me in attendance. It's my hope that he realizes his mistake before this goes to court. I won't sugar coat the situation for you. If it gets that far, the ruling will more than likely be against you. Ethan Black, even though he has shown no signs of wanting to get to know Tyler, is his biological father, you are only his brother and sister-in-law. I suggest you get an attorney. I really was hoping to bring you some good news today. I'm _so_ sorry." She gets up and leaves us alone. I rest my head on Tobias' shoulder and start crying. I try to control myself but the combination of overwhelming loss and the pregnancy hormones has me sobbing like I've never sobbed before. Tyler gets up and comes over to us.

"Twis, you okay?" he asks anxiously. Words won't come right now so I just shake my head. Tobias takes Tessa from my arms and puts her in the little pink bed so she can sleep, and Tyler climbs up onto my lap. I wrap my arms around him and hold him tight. His little arms wrap tightly around my neck, and he holds me as I cry. Tobias sits down on the couch next to me and puts his arms around both of us. Finally I pull myself together, and I look into his eyes. I notice tears and realize he hurts when I do. This nearly starts the waterworks all over again. I wipe the tears off his cheeks and kiss his forehead.

"I'm sorry I made you cry," I quietly say. "I'm just sad." My voice cracks, and I practice the breathing technique Tobias taught me when I learned I was pregnant, trying to control my emotions.

"I sowwy you sad," he says putting his hand on my cheek. I cover his little hand with mine.

"I love you. You know that, right?" I say. He smiles brightly, which makes me smile in return, and nods his head aggressively. I want to tell him that everything is going to be okay and that I'll never leave him. I want to tell him that Four and I are going to be his daddy and mommy from now on. I want to tell him so much but I know I can't ... I can't bring myself to say anything.

"Tyler, there is something that I should have told you when you woke up this morning," Tobias says very seriously. "You remember Mommy Evelyn right?" Tyler's demeanor changes immediately, and he frowns but nods his head. "I'm sorry, buddy, but she got really sick when Tessa was being born. The doctors did everything they could but she died. She's gone."

"Where go?" he asks.

"She went to heaven to watch over you," I say. "She loved you very much, and I know deep down inside," I touch his heart, "you love her very much. I'm afraid you won't be able to see her again." He doesn't look upset over the news but not happy either. I honestly didn't know what to expect since he had been acting so standoffish around her. He looks like he's contemplating something very serious when his face changes and he smiles a smile so bright it startles me.

"Stay wit you?" he says. I honestly hadn't anticipated this question but maybe I should have. I look into Tobias' eyes and see anguish on his face.

"Tyler, buddy, we're not sure who you will live with," he says. Tyler frowns at this and then his bottom lip gets to quivering. "Did Mommy Evelyn ever introduce you to a man named Ethan or a Mr. Black?" His head starts slowly moving back and forth. At least she was honest about that.

"Well ... he's your daddy," Tobias says. I want to scream no but I keep myself quiet. "He wants to get to know you, and if a judge says so, you'll go live with him." This brings tears to his eyes, and he holds onto me as tightly as he can.

"No wanna live wit him," he says between sniffles and sobs. "Wanna stay wit you." I look at Tobias and he nods his head at me. I pull Tyler back so we can both look into his worried, scared, and devastated eyes.

"We want that more than anything, Tyler," I say, stroking his hair. "That's why I was crying earlier." My words seem to make sense to him and he smiles. It's almost like he's happy we want to keep him. I pull him close to me and hold him until he falls into a peaceful sleep. We start to talk about the situation with Tyler when Tessa starts to whine. Tobias takes him from me and puts him on the bed while I tend to my daughter. Isobel had told me to nurse her every couple hours so I change into the paper gown she gave me. I have Tobias hand me the pillow, and I position Tessa the way she showed me and put her to each breast for five minutes. I see Tobias watching, and he has an amazed look on his face as she suckles.

"I've always thought you were amazing, Tris, but I see you in a brand new light," he says. I meet his eyes and see something I've never seen before. It borders on awe but I can't quite explain it. "You're feeding our baby."

"Not yet," I say as I look at the clock. I hand Tessa to Tobias and put my shirt back on. I grab my phone and text a new list of items that we need to Christina. She responds immediately, freaking a bit at my breastfeeding news but promising to get me everything I need. I sit down next to Tobias and smile. "She's hungry." Maybe I am getting better at this mother thing.

"How do you know?" he asks with a look on his face, which I imagine is similar to my own earlier.

"Can't you feel that?" I say. "She's sucking on your shoulder."

"No I really don't," he says. I go to the nurse's station, and the nurse on duty hands me the prepared bottle they were getting ready to bring me. This time I let Tobias feed her.

"She's a little piglet," he says after she's done and lying in his arms asleep. "She eats then falls asleep." He looks at her with such love in his eyes. "She's quite amazing."

"That she is," I say watching the man I love dearly hold someone I love just as much. It truly amazes me just how much I love her when I didn't even know her 24 hours ago.

"She reminds me a little of my mom," he says out of the blue. "She mainly looks like Tyler though."

"I see you in her," I say meeting his eyes.

"I can't believe she's gone," he says, tears glistening in his eyes. "I'm not sure I know how to grieve for her." I put my arm around him and lay my head on his shoulder.

"You just have to try," I say. "Cry, remember the good times, try to forget the bad. Live your life being a meaningful member of society. These are ways to honor your mother." He lays his head on mine and he's quiet for a little bit. When I realize he's crying, I move myself to wrap my arms around him. His sobs wrack his body, and I can't help but cry with him.

"I can't believe she left me again," he says in a shallow little voice. I move to look him in the eye.

"She chose to leave you the first time for reasons unknown to either of us," I say. "I'm sorry for that. I know it still hurts you. But there is one thing I know without a doubt. She didn't want to leave you this time. She loved you so much, Tobias. I think you know that deep down. Now she's in heaven watching over you and all your brothers and sisters." I lightly place my lips to his and kiss him.

"Thanks, Tris," he says, wiping away the tears. There's a knock and my mom peeks in the door. "I forgot to tell you, I called your mom and dad and told them about Tessa."

"Come in," I say with a smile. They come in and sit on the couch opposite us. "Would you like to meet your granddaughter?"

"Oh, Beatrice," my mom says with happy tears in her eyes. "It's hard to believe you're a mother already." Tobias gets up and carefully hands Tessa to my mom. "We didn't interrupt something did we?" She must have noticed his red-rimmed eyes.

"No, Natalie," he says. "You are welcome at any time. Tris and I were just talking about Evelyn."

"We're sorry for your loss, son," Dad says. He obviously told them about his mother as well as the birth.

"Thank you, Andrew," he says as he sits down next to me.

"Oh, she is _so_ beautiful," Mom says. "She looks exactly like Tyler. Where is he?"

"Asleep on the bed," I say. Right now he's curled up in a tiny ball at the foot of the big bed. If you're not looking for him, he's easy to miss.

"I take it you will be adopting him as well," Dad says. I grimace from the pain that rips its way through my heart. "Did I say something wrong?"

"After learning of Evelyn's death, Ethan Black decided he wants Tyler," Tobias says. "I'm going to get ahold of Stephanie Misner tomorrow and hire her to be our lawyer. We _will _fight to make sure he stays with us where he belongs."

"The worst part of it is he was signing away his parental rights when he learned of Evelyn's death, and _that's _when he changed his mind," I say. "He's trying to hold on to her by taking custody of Tyler. I'm praying he sees the error of his way and leaves him with two parents who know him and love him as much as we do." I bow my head trying to make sure my parents don't see the gathering wetness in my eyes. I do the deep breathing exercises and am able to look back toward them with a smile after a moment.

"I'm sorry. I wouldn't have said anything had I known," Dad says, sounding uncharacteristically angry. "If either of you need anything … and I mean anything at all, you let me know." His overprotective nature is showing, and I can't help but smile. I wish I would have seen this when I was growing up.

"Tessa is beautiful," Mom says, thankfully changing the subject. "What do you think of her?"

"I love her so much," I say. "The first time I held her I couldn't believe how deeply I felt about the little stranger. She's so tiny and perfect."

"She's amazing," Tobias says. "I didn't think I would ever fall in love with another girl after I met Tris but I was wrong. She stole my heart the first time I laid eyes on her." I move my mouth to his and let him kiss me softly but quickly. I'm not entirely comfortable with public displays in front of my parents.

"You two look so happy," Mom says.

"When it comes to that little girl laying in your arms, I'm ecstatic," I say. "There are other things that are extremely taxing right now but she's definitely not one of them."

"We're sorry that what should be one of the happiest times in your life is being clouded by other things," Dad says. I hear Tyler stir, and look to see him getting down off the bed. He comes to me and I pull him up to sit on my lap. "Look who's here. Andrew and Natalie came to see you and Tessa."

"Hi," he says with a sleepy little smile. "How you?"

"We're great, Tyler," Mom says. "Have you met Tessa?"

"Yeah," he says. "She okay." We all chuckle lightly at his answer. "Twis, I hungwy." I look at the clock on the wall and am surprised to see what time it is.

"Hey, buddy! Why don't we take Natalie and Andrew to the cafeteria and get something to eat," Tobias says. "Tris needs some alone time with Tessa anyway." Mom gives me an odd look.

"Actually, I would like Mom to stay," I say. After they leave, I explain to Mom that I'm going to be breastfeeding, and I have some preparation I need to do. Even though I'm nervous, I remind myself that she's my mom and used to change my diaper and feed me the same way. I get myself ready then have Mom bring me the baby. I do as Isobel instructed earlier and have her latch onto each breast for ten total minutes. When I'm almost done, she starts whining, letting me know she's unhappy with the current situation. "Mom could you go ask for a bottle for Tessa at the nurse's station? They're probably getting ready to bring it to me anyway." Just then the door opens and the nurse who brought Tessa to us last night comes into the room with my next dose of medication and Tessa's bottle. I take the large pill and swallow it along with the small cup of water then take the bottle and feed the baby.

"I have to admit, I didn't know it was possible to breastfeed an adopted baby," Mom says once we're alone again. "I'm proud of you. You have become such a lovely young woman in the past year."

"Thanks, Mom," I say. "To be honest, I didn't know it either until Isobel asked if it was something I would like to do. When she assured me that it wouldn't hurt the baby, I consented. It's made me feel closer to her already. At first she cried because she wasn't getting fed so now the minute I see she's getting hungry, I do what I need to do to make my supply come in then feed her donated milk."

"She seems so content," she says. "You're very lucky. She's such a sweet baby. I'm looking forward to being her grandma. I'll spoil her with love. Happy birthday by the way. I know I'm a few days late but I guess it's better late than never." I stare at my mother like I'm seeing her for the first time.

"You've never said that to me before," I say in awe.

"Actually I have, you've just never heard me because you were always asleep," she says.

"Why change things now?" I ask thinking about all the Abnegation rules she has broken for me in the past year.

"It may be selfish but I'm tired of living such a restricted lifestyle," she says. "I'm not going to do it anymore. There isn't anything selfish about telling someone happy birthday. Just don't expect any more presents!"

"I don't need any presents. I never have," I say with a sigh remembering all the gifts Tobias has bought me. "Can you take her so I can get dressed?" Mom takes Tessa out of my arms and puts her in the little pink cart then turns back to me when I tell her I'm dressed again. "Do you have any advice about being a mom?"

"Love her the way you want to be loved," she says sitting down on the couch next to me. "You will learn to be a mother as you go. It really isn't something you can learn by reading a book, Beatrice. Every parent's experience is different because every _child_ is different. What works with Tyler might not work for Tessa when she reaches that age, and what you do for Tessa might not be what the new baby needs. You have to adapt for each child and not be hard on yourself. I know you, you have so much Abnegation in you that you've probably already thought at one point today that you're failing or unable to do this. Am I wrong?" I shake my head slowly at her. "Love her. Tell her every day. Show her every day. Those three things are universal for all children."

"Thanks, Mom," I say. "You always seem to know what I need to hear. I love you."

"I love you too, honey," she says.

"Twis, Twis!" Tyler says coming back into the room like a hurricane. "Got this fo you and Tess." He hands me a vase full of pink and white carnations. "Love you so much." He throws his hands around my neck and kisses my cheek. We're all laughing when Purple hair and snake tattoo walk into the room.

"Hi guys. Do you have news on Peter?" Tobias says.

"Four," purple hair says slowly. "I'm so sorry to do this, especially here but there has been a complaint lodged against you, and I'm here to place you under arrest and take you to Candor for reading of formal charges. I need you to put your hands behind your back." Tobias does as he's told and is handcuffed.

This has _got_ to be the worst day of my life. I feel like my world has dropped out from under me leaving only a raging river beneath that I'm now drowning in. Not only is Tobias taking his mother's death harder than I thought but we found out that we have to go through a custody battle with Mr. Black in order to adopt Tyler and there is no guarantee that he will get to stay with us, Peter somehow escaped custody while we were on our honeymoon and no one bothered to tell us, and now, to top it all off, trusted members of Dauntless are putting Tobias in handcuffs to take him to Candor. I have a suspicion I know what this is about but I can't bring myself to think about it. I remember Jack mentioning death is a possible punishment for assault at my father's interrogation, and Tobias _did _assault Marcus on our wedding night but his bastard father deserved it, and there isn't a person who could have heard what his father said that wouldn't have wanted to beat his ass either. I push through the emotions that are dragging me down and turn to purple hair and snake tattoo.

"Where are you taking him?" I ask.

"All we know is Jack Kang called and told us to arrest Four and bring him to Candor," snake tattoo says.

"I'm coming with you, Four," I say.

"You have to think about the kids," he says. I look at Mom and Dad.

"Go with your husband," Dad says. "We'll watch the kids."

"I'll be back as soon as possible," I say following Tobias out the door. I tell the charge nurse that I have to go, I'll be back soon, and that my parents are sitting with Tessa and Tyler. They are very understanding, especially when they see the leader of Dauntless being led out of the hospital in handcuffs. I run to the underground garage and drive as fast as I can through town to The Merciless Mart. I rush into the lobby demanding to see Four. Within minutes Jack and Niles meet me.

"He's not here yet, Tris," Jack say. I must have drove faster than I thought. They lead me to the Dauntless holding room where Tobias will be brought when he arrives.

"Can you tell me about the complaint?" I ask. "Was it lodged by Marcus?" The look on Jack's face tells me I'm dead on. "What's going to happen? I need him at home, Jack. Our daughter was born last night. We are supposed to take her home in a few hours."

"Congratulations on the birth of your daughter," he says. "I'm sorry for the timing but the complaint was filed just about an hour ago." The heavy white door on the opposite wall opens, and Tobias is brought into the room. Snake tattoo removes his handcuffs, and he comes straight to me and wraps me in his arms. Jack and Niles give us a moment before they begin. "Four, we can start now."

"Okay," he says. "What did I supposedly do? Let me guess? Marcus complained I assaulted him the night of my wedding. I'll save you the trouble of questioning me. I confess. I did it."

"You're right about who made the complaint," Niles says. "We would feel better if we could put you under truth serum though. I'm not suggesting you would lie but it is protocol with a formal complaint."

"Of course, I understand," he says. "Let's do this." He sits down in nearly the same spot Jason Grant sat when he was put under truth serum the first time during the list mess. Niles hands Tobias an alcohol swab, and he wipes off the left side of his neck. Suddenly I'm worried about what questions will be asked. He's Divergent. What happens if for some unknown reason divergence is brought up? I'm not sure I'm going to get through this without losing my mind. Niles injects the truth serum into Tobias' neck, and he slumps against the wall ready for his interrogation.

"Will you state your name," Niles says. I wonder if he ever gets tired of the initial questions.

"Four," Tobias says immediately and without condescension. Niles looks less than pleased with his answer though.

"Your full name please, Four," he says.

"Tobias Marcus Eaton," he says after hesitating for a moment and flinching. I hate that he's having to experience the debilitating fire in his veins.

"What faction were you born into and what faction did you choose?"

"I was born in Abnegation and chose Dauntless," Tobias says.

"What are your parents' names?" Niles asks.

"Marcus and Evelyn Johnson Eaton," he says.

"Are you married?" he asks, although he knows the answer already.

"Yes, to Beatrice Grace Prior-Eaton," Tobias says confidently with a wide grin.

"Did you assault your father the evening of your wedding?" Niles asks.

"Yes," he says matter-of-factly.

"Why?"

"Because he was unforgivably rude to Tris one to many times," he says. "I lost my temper and hit him a few times but he deserved it."

"What did he say to Tris?" Niles asks. Tobias once again pauses and a grimace transforms his face.

"He called her a slut and said she had me by the balls. He thought she wouldn't let me invite him to the wedding but that's not the truth, and I told him that. _ I_ didn't want him there. The fight almost ruined everything. She almost called off our honeymoon."

"What else has he said to Tris?" Jack asks, suddenly seeming very interesting in the answers Tobias are giving.

"He is rude to her every chance he gets. He thinks she's the reason we have a very troubled relationship, which is so far off it isn't even funny," Tobias says with a humorless laugh. "He was even removed from the council for saying she must be a wildcat in the sack in front of her parents and a couple council members." I blush with embarrassment as Niles and Jack both glance my way. "He humiliated the woman I love, and I stood there and let him do it. So when he insulted her again at our _wedding_, I lost it. I couldn't stop myself. I didn't want to. He deserved and instigated what happened." Jack and Niles huddle together, talking.

"We have one final question for you, Four," Niles says. "What is your greatest regret?" He sits there with a confused look on his face not speaking. I worry that he must be in excruciating pain but it doesn't seem like he is. His eyes glaze further, and he looks around like he's searching for something.

"I allow my feelings for my parent's to dictate how I live my life," Tobias says, a severe look on his face. "I regret that I'm not strong enough to forgive them and just move on and live my life the way _I _want."

"Thank you for your honesty," Jack and Niles say at the same time. Niles administers the antiserum to Tobias, and I go sit with him. He grabs ahold of me and hugs me tightly. We hold each other while they deliberate his guilt or innocence. Niles leaves the room and a moment later returns with Marcus.

"Four, once you apologize to your father, you will be free to leave," Jack says. A look transforms Marcus for a split second into the beast I saw in Tobias' fear landscape so long ago before he contains himself and it smooth's over. I imagine he was expecting a harsher punishment for Tobias.

"I'm sorry, Dad," he says sounding more sincere than I ever thought was possible. "I shouldn't have attacked you. That was wrong of me. Can you forgive me?" Marcus looks at Tobias with a strange expression on his face. He slowly nods his head Abnegation-style.

"I forgive you, son," he says. He turns and walks toward the door.

"Evelyn died yesterday," Tobias quietly says but it echoes throughout the empty room so that Marcus can hear it. He stops in his tracks but doesn't turn around. "I thought you would want to know." He hangs his head then continues out the door. Jack and Niles look at each other, furrowing their eyebrows. They obviously don't understand Tobias' relationship with his father.

"We're sorry to have interrupted your night but I knew we needed to handle this situation quickly," Jack says. "Congratulations on the birth of your daughter and the little one on the way." He points at my expanding tummy, and I automatically cover it with my hands.

"Thank you for everything," Tobias says. "Are we free to go? We really need to get back to the hospital."

"Of course," Jack says. We hurry out of the Merciless Mart and drive back to the hospital to relieve my parents and take Tyler and Tessa home.


	47. Chapter 47

**A/N: Since chapter 46 was supposed to be a Christmas gift, here is your regularly scheduled chapter! See you Sunday!**

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><p>Tobias is extremely quiet on our drive back to the hospital, and I wonder what's going through his mind but I decide not to pry. Instead of dwelling on him, I think about his father. Marcus might have said he forgave Tobias but I remember the look on his face. He thought turning him in for the fight the night of our wedding was going to at least land him in jail for a while. Marcus is obviously not done with his vendetta. That much is clear.<p>

"Remember when I said that Evelyn's death made me second guess locking Marcus out of my life?" he asks out of the blue, startling me out of my thoughts.

"Yeah," I say. It still surprises me that he said that.

"I changed my mind after his little stunt tonight," he says. "I _am_ going to do everything in my power to forgive my parents … both of them ... so I can let this anger go and move on. It isn't healthy for me and it isn't good for us or our family."

"I'm so proud of you, Tobias," I say. "You've grown so much just since we met. If you need me to help with anything, I'm here for you."

"I know you are, and I'm so thankful for that, for you," he says. I lean across the seat and kiss his cheek.

"Can I ask you something?" I say.

"Anything," he says.

"Could you lie?" I say. "Under the truth serum, I mean."

"No," he says. "I couldn't. I will admit that I didn't try but I know there's no way that I could sit there lying, letting that fire burn through my body. I hope you never have to go through that ever again."

"I would walk through that fire every day if it meant protecting us," I say. "It's been a rough day, hasn't it? I can't wait to get the kids home so we can relax."

"I swear this has been one of the greatest days and one of the worst all at the same time," he says with a sigh. "If it weren't for Tessa, this would have been a pure shit day." I smile at him.

"I understand," I say. Within minutes we're pulling up in front of the hospital emergency department and parking. We walk up to the room we spent all day in and find Mom feeding Tessa a bottle and Dad reading Tyler a book. They're going to be wonderful grandparents.

"Twis, Fo," Tyler says being the first one to notice our arrival. "You back!" He gets down off of Dad's lap and runs to Tobias who scoops him up.

"Yes, we are, buddy," I say.

"May we ask what happened?" Dad says.

"Marcus," Tobias replies. "He turned me in for assaulting him the night of our wedding. I was interrogated under truth serum and had to apologize to him but it's over now." I still have doubts about that but I'll keep it to myself. I sit down next to mom and take Tessa from her. I feed my little bundle of joy the rest of her bottle then cuddle her. Even though I was only away from her for a couple hours, I realize just how much I missed her.

"Has anyone mentioned discharge?" I ask, suddenly anxious to get home.

"Yes. The nurse who brought Tessa's bottle said to let her know when you got back," Mom says.

"How about we take a little walk, buddy," Tobias says. "We'll be right back."

"I can't believe Marcus," Dad says when Tobias and Tyler leave the room. "Why would he do such a thing? Doesn't he realize what could have happened? I'm ashamed that I ever called him a friend."

"It all worked out," I say. "Four's here with me and the kids. _That's _what's important."

"How did you grow up so quickly?" Mom says, a contented smile on her lips. Tobias comes back into the room carrying Tyler followed by the charge nurse.

"We have Tessa's discharge paperwork," she says. "You'll need to fill out the forms, sign where the flags indicate, and then you're free to go."

"Why don't you change Tessa, and I'll fill these out," Tobias says. I put her in the pink hospital bed and get the tiny outfit out of its bag. I unwrap her from her swaddle and change her diaper. I look at her and the outfit and know I need help.

"Mom, can you help me?" I ask. She shows me how to get the gown on without thinking I'm going to hurt her, and then I put the little hat on her head. Even though the newborn outfit is tiny, it's too big for her. She looks absolutely adorable. Nothing can erase the huge grin from my face.

"Mrs. Eaton?"

"Yes," I say, turning toward my new name.

"I forgot to give you this," the nurse says after she comes back into the room. She hands me a packet of pills and a sheet of paper. "It's the remaining two-week supply of your lactation medication and all your instructions. Don't forget to pick up a 72-hour supply of milk to take home with you before you go." Tobias gives the paperwork he just finished filling out to the nurse, and she tells us we can leave when we're ready.

"Remember when I said there would be no more gifts?" my mom says. "That only pertained to you and your husband." She picks up a bag that wasn't here earlier. "You might need this." She hands the bag to me, and I pull out a soft pink Cashmere blanket.

"Mom!" I say. "This is too extravagant."

"Do you have a blanket?" Dad says. I shake my head and he smiles. "Then you _need_ that."

"Thank you, Andrew, Natalie," Tobias says. "We have so much to learn. I don't think either one of us thought of a blanket."

"I still think it's too much," I say under my breath. "Thank you, Mom, Dad. It was nice of you." Dad puts his arm around my mom, and they both smile at us. I cradle Tessa in my arms, and Tobias drapes the blanket over her. After we make sure we have everything, we all walk to our car in front of the hospital. At some point today, unbeknownst to me, Tobias set up Tessa's carrier and installed it in the car. He takes her out of my arms and fastens her in the seat then tucks the blanket all around her. "How are you getting home?"

"The bus," Mom says. "It actually will be passing right by here at any moment."

"Okay," I say, feeling a little better. I don't want them to have to walk home. It's too far and it's much too late. We say goodbye to my parents before they get on the bus then head for home. I look to the backseat often. Tyler falls asleep within minutes, and I don't hear a peep from Tessa.

"It's been a long, hard day," Tobias says.

"It's not over," I say. "This is just the beginning. She's going to be up every couple hours."

"I know," he says. "I'm nervous. I don't know what it's like to have a baby in the house."

"Me neither," I say then I smile brightly at him. "This will be another first for us to experience. I love that we get to do this together."

"Me too," he says pulling the car into our parking space in Dauntless' garage. We both look into the back seat and see two sleeping kids. He looks back at me and lightly glides the back of his hand down my cheek while staring deeply into my eyes. He gently tangles his fingers in my hair and pulls me to him. When his moist lips meet mine a jolt of electricity moves through me. He kisses me softly, tenderly. When he lets me go, my heart is hammering in my chest.

"I love you, Tobias," I say.

"I love you, too, Tris," he says giving me another quick kiss. "We better get the kids upstairs. Tessa will be wanting fed again soon."

"Okay," I say. I carry Tyler who is still sound asleep and Tobias takes Tessa, carrier and all, up to our apartment. We're stopped by numerous Dauntless members wanting to catch a peek at our new addition. We're as polite as we can telling everyone that we really need to get home. We finally make it to our apartment after a longer than normal walk up the path. I immediately take Tyler upstairs and get him out of his clothes and into his pajamas without waking him up. He's out like a light. I have to remind myself that it's been a rough day for him too. I hope at least he can get a good night's sleep. I turn on his nightlight and leave his door open only a sliver. I turn on our bedroom light just in case he wakes up then go downstairs. Tobias gets the baby out of the carrier and hands her to me. I sit on the couch and stare at her. Yeah, she's getting hungry again.

"Do you need something?" he asks me as he watches me watch her. I smile at him.

"I could use a tank top and button-down sweater," I say. "Could you get that for me?"

"Of course," he says.

"Oh, Tobias. I left the light on in our bedroom for Tyler," I say as he heads up the stairs. I look toward the windows and see an old-fashioned-looking eggshell-colored bassinet with lots of lace. It's beautiful, timeless, and will work well for every baby we bring home in the future. I have to remember to do something especially nice for Christina. I look toward the kitchen and see numerous sacks piled up on the island. We have so much to do.

"Did you ask Christina to set up a nursery?" he asks when he comes back downstairs. I furrow my eyebrows at him, not exactly knowing how to answer. I did ask her to get a lot. "Literally, a nursery upstairs in the office. There's a crib that looks exactly like Tyler's bed, a dresser, a changing table, and another rocking chair."

"Um. Yes and no," I slowly say. "I asked her to get a crib that matched Tyler's toddler bed if she could find one but I never said anything about the other items. She wasn't wrong though. We needed those things too."

"I know," he says with a sigh. "I was just taken off guard." Tessa starts whining, and I realize I haven't been paying close enough attention to her.

"Will you take her for a moment?" He lifts her out of my arms, and I notice her turning toward his chest looking for food. I strip out of my skin tight t-shirt and bra and change into the soft spaghetti strap tank top and sweater. I take her back and ask Tobias to make her a bottle. I sit on the end of the couch and place her to my breast but can't get her to latch on. "Do you see a pillow in one of those sacks? I don't think I can do this without one." I hear him rummaging through the plastic bags.

"Yep, here it is," he says. "Christina sure did buy a lot." He places the specially designed nursing pillow across my lap, and I'm able to get her at the right angle to latch on. She's cranky but she doesn't start crying.

"I know. We needed a lot," I say. "I would have rather we got it, but we'd be screwed tonight if I hadn't sent her."

"I'm not complaining," he says with humor in his voice, "just stating a fact." That makes me feel better. I was beginning to think he was angry with her. Just as I'm finishing, Tobias brings me her bottle. "Will you check the temperature? I want to make sure I did it right."

"I'm sure you did fine," I say. I test the liquid on my inner wrist like Isobel showed me and find it to be perfect. I put the bottle in her mouth and she sucks like crazy. "Tobias, do you think she's okay? I've only heard her cry once. Aren't babies supposed to cry more often than that? I'm worried about her."

"I don't know, love," he says sitting down next to us, putting his arm around me. "I'm sure she's fine. If she wasn't, they wouldn't have let us bring her home, right?"

"You're probably right," I say. "I'm just being a nervous mother." He smiles lovingly at me.

"I love you," he says, placing his lips lightly to my temple. His soft touch makes me smile.

"I love you. We should talk about a few things," I say as I burp her.

"What things?" he asks.

"First, I need to take some time off work to bond with Tessa and figure out how to be a mom," I say. "I'm thinking I will go back on Choosing Day, which just happen to fall on a Monday this year. It's not quite three months but I think it should be adequate time to get my bearings. Does that sound okay?"

"It does," he says.

"If you need to add another person to leadership to take up the slack, I would understand," I say. "Especially since I'll have to take more time off to be with the new baby after only a few more months."

"If I feel that needs to happen, I'll discuss it with Tori and Will," he says. "What else do we need to talk about?"

"We need to do everything in our power to make sure we get custody of Tyler," I say. "We can't lose him, Tobias. _I _can't lose him."

"I'm going to call Stephanie first thing in the morning," he says. "We will do _everything_ we can but know that it more than likely won't go our way." I flinch at his words. "I don't mean to hurt you. I would never intentionally do that, which you know but I won't lie to you either. It kills me to think of handing him over to his deadbeat dad but if the judge rules that way, there isn't anything we will be able to do."

"I know," I whisper. "Thank you for not sugar coating it. You love and respect me too much to do that. I need to know if you want me to sleep down here tonight with Tessa so you can get some sleep."

"No," he says somewhat gruffly. "We stay _together_ … always."

"Okay," I say. "I didn't meant to upset you. I just thought that the entire household doesn't need to be turned upside down."

"If you're not sleeping, then neither am I," he says quickly kissing me.

"Let's go to bed then," I say. "Isobel suggested sleeping when she does, especially at night."

"Okay," he says getting up and taking Tessa from me. He puts her against his shoulder and rubs her back. She always looks even smaller than she is when he's holding her. I take my phone off the side table and snap my first photo. "Did you just take a picture?" I get up and show him the shot. He smiles. "Wow. That's a good one."

"Yes, it is," I say. "Why don't you take her upstairs, and I'll meet you in a few minutes." He kisses the top of my head then carries her to our bedroom. After I rinse her bottle and put it in the dishwasher, I gather as many sacks as I can carry and take them upstairs. I drop them in what eventually will be Tessa's room, making sure they're out of the way then go into the bathroom and get ready for bed. I change into a black cotton camisole and shorts set, which looks like it will be easy to nurse in. I take my last dose of medication then go into the bedroom and close the door behind me. Tobias is putting on a pair of sleep pants and Tessa is lying swaddled in the bassinet beside my side of the bed asleep. I'm skimming over the instructions the nurse gave me when Tobias gets into bed.

"What in the world are you reading?" he asks with definite humor in his voice. I give him a questioning look. "Your beet red." I didn't realize I was blushing, which makes me blush even deeper. "Care to share."

"I'm supposed to massage my breasts," I say, not quite meeting his eyes. "It's supposed to help with milk production."

"And this embarrasses you, why?" he asks, his voice full of affection.

"Abnegation rules," I say, quickly looking at him then away. He knows what I mean.

"Oh. We aren't supposed to touch ourselves in a ... _sexual_ manner," he says. "It's a good thing we're Dauntless then, huh?"

"I was worried before I put Tessa to my breast for the first time that I would find breastfeeding sexual in some way," I say, hating to admit it out loud to another person. "I absolutely love it when you touch or kiss my breasts. I was _so_ thankful when I didn't feel that way with her. What if the massage isn't the same?"

"Would it be terrible if you turned yourself on?" he asks completely serious. I'm quiet for a time thinking about his question. Not everything that was taught in Abnegation is wrong, but most of it is misleading.

"No, I guess it wouldn't," I say. "Would it be wrong of me to ask you to help me? It more than likely won't lead anywhere, I'm must too tired. Why would I want my hands on myself when I could have yours on me?" He smiles widely at me.

"That logic makes perfect sense to me," he says. "And I will be glad to help you as long as you promise to help yourself if I'm not home."

"Of course," I say. "I will do anything for her." I hand him the sheet of paper, and he reads it over. "Why don't you sit back against the headboard, and I'll lean against you. Do you think it would be easier with my cami on or off?"

"Off but I'm sure this could be done with it on also," he says, his eyes still on the paper. He sits up in bed, and I take my camisole off. His eyes glide over my naked chest before resting on my eyes. I can tell he's battling with himself to take another eyeful, and I can't help but grin. He's such a guy! I get my coconut oil lotion off the dresser and crawl across the bed and sit between his outstretched legs and lean into him.

"Here you go," I say handing him the luxurious lotion. "It says this is a good choice to use while breastfeeding since it's all natural." He takes the jar from me and opens it up. He dips some out and starts rubbing his hands together. I close my eyes and wait for the massage to begin. He gently starts rubbing my breasts with a light touch. At first he duplicates the motions in the pictures on the paper but soon he shifts, and he begins touching me the way he knows I like to be touched. He kneads each breast as he lightly kisses my neck. He gently rolls my aching nipples between his fingers, and I melt further into him, relaxed and stimulated at the same time.

"Why don't you lean forward and I'll do your back," he says in my ear giving me a chill where his hot breath hits me. I scoot my butt away from him and lean forward, giving him full access to my back, and he starts manipulating each and every muscle. He works on me until I feel like a big ball of goo.

"That feels so good, Tobias," I say on the verge of sleep. "I think I need to lie down." We both shift at the same time. He lies down as I lean back. We have to move our legs out of each other's ways but soon we're lying in each other's arms, totally content and relaxed. I'm almost asleep when I hear Tessa whining in the bassinet. I lean up and see all the signs that she's hungry again. I give Tobias an apologetic look. "It's going to be a long night."


	48. Chapter 48

The past two-and-a-half weeks have flown by faster than any in my entire life even though I swear I have mostly sleep walked through them. Today is not only the first time I'm going to be leaving Tessa with a sitter but it's the first time she's left the apartment also. Tobias and I have to leave here at about 1:30 to be at Candor at 2 p.m. Jack Kang put off Jeffrey Walsh's interrogation until today as an apology to Tobias for having him arrested and interrogated less than 24 hours after our precious daughter was born. We're going to drop Tessa off later at Stella and Zander's, and I'm freaking out a bit about it. If getting answers about Dad's assault wasn't so important to me there's no way I would leave her.

We have to go to court on Friday for our hearing with Mr. Black to see who gets permanent custody of Tyler. He sees his father daily for 90 minutes of supervised visitation at the park with his social worker, Sheila. I hate seeing him go through this but there's nothing I can do about it except comfort him when he returns to me. I thought his reaction to Evelyn was severe but it was nothing compared to how he feels about Mr. Black. He wants absolutely nothing to do with him. He cries, begs, and pleads with Tobias and me not to make him go. We are strong and don't show our anguish until after he leaves, and then I breakdown and Tobias holds me as I cry, fury raging through him transforming him into Four. Tyler apparently has no interaction with Mr. Black for the 90 minutes they're together. Sheila tells us he plays with the toys we pack in his diaper bag and ignores his father, and if Ethan Black pushes him into talking, he cries. For every wonderful moment there has been with Tessa the past two weeks, there has been an equally painful moment seeing what Tyler is going through. Sheila tells us if it weren't for the judge's order, she wouldn't keep putting him through this traumatic situation. When he comes home, I hold him in my arms until he falls to sleep. Once he's had a nap, he returns to his normal self until the next day when the cycle repeats itself.

I've been successfully nursing Tessa 100% by myself since she was five days old, no donation necessary anymore. It took a lot of work and was somewhat time consuming but it was well worth it. When my supply came in and she was able to nurse, I actually cried. Tobias happened to walk in on me at that particular moment and thought something was terribly wrong. It took me a while to verbalize that everything was actually wonderful. I took my nipple out of her mouth, and he could see milk. He sat with me and together we both experienced our daughter getting sustainable nutrition from my breasts for the first time. It was amazing. He immediately went upstairs and came back down with the familiar-looking little white box wrapped with pink ribbon and a bow that he almost left at the lighthouse. He handed it to me and immediately started explaining that I would have to just be mad at him for giving me another gift. I couldn't help but laugh lightheartedly at him. He took our daughter from me, and I opened the little box, knowing what it was just not what it looked like. My newest charm for my charm bracelet was a handmade silver teddy bear he bought at the Amity street fair that he had customized with a diamond birth stone from the Dauntless jewelry store. I couldn't bring myself to chastise him for my precious gift. Every time I see it dangling off my wrist, I think of our perfect, pint-sized girl.

Little Tessa is the light of my life and the joy in my heart. I feel this way about two others only, her father and her brother. Tyler may not be ours … and may never be … but he'll always be her brother. I'll see to that. She's perfect in every way. I was so worried the night we brought her home that something was wrong with her because she didn't cry much. She still doesn't but it's only because she's so content and so loved. She nurses every two hours like clockwork during the day and every three hours during the night. I don't know how she knows her mommy and daddy need more sleep at night but she does. Tobias tells anyone who will listen that she's a genius!

We are both settling into parenthood quite nicely. I'll be glad when the time comes that she sleeps though the night so I can too. Lack of sleep is one of only two complaints I have right now. The other is a loss of intimacy with Tobias. We haven't had the chance to make love since we brought her home. If I'm in the mood, he's too tired and vice versa. Thankfully he still massages my breasts and back for me morning and night or we really wouldn't have any physical contact. I'm not complaining … I just miss him.

Peter unfortunately is still at large. Multiple patrols are assigned specifically to hunt him down and arrest him again. Tobias interviewed all the control room workers again like they were informed, with Will and Tori in attendance. Apparently, none of them were displaying any deceptive behavior, they all seemed very honest, they made strong eye contact, and they didn't seem to be protecting themselves from anything. When Tobias was done, he came to the same conclusion that Will and Tori did – none of these people are helping Peter. But this assessment doesn't sit well with anyone. Peter obviously has help within Dauntless and that person turned off a specific surveillance camera for a certain amount of time at least two different times. So if none of these people did it, who did? Most Dauntless don't know about the cameras so we need to figure out who outside the control room knows about their existence then interview them.

There has been an update on the woman who has been drugging men, including Will, in the bar and stealing points out of their accounts. She has started back up but she no longer is prowling the bar, she's stalking the nightclub. An additional 12 men have come forward since Tobias' and my wedding with complaints of missing funds after being admitted to the infirmary with extreme intoxication-like symptoms after spending the previous evening at Dauntless' nightclub. The worst part is there are no cameras in there to check. As odd as it may seem, whoever this sneaky assailant is she not only knows about the existence of surveillance cameras but she knows where they are but more importantly, where they're not. We're trying to come up with an undercover sting to capture her, but we're shy on the details.

Late last week, Tobias made the decision to add a fifth and final member to leadership. We had an impromptu meeting at our place so I could be in attendance to decide who the candidates would be. After much weighty conversation, Harrison Cosgrove, a typical middle-aged Dauntless member with long blonde hair he wears pulled back in a ponytail, multiple ear piercing, and numerous tattoos. Tori was his greatest advocate and biggest cheerleader, and she convinced the rest of us that he was the only candidate we needed to consider. I obviously haven't had a chance to work with him but Tobias says he's personable, intelligent, and humorous. In less than a weeks' time, Tobias is convinced that the right choice was made.

"Hey, love," Tobias says coming into the apartment, interrupting my reverie. "We're home." Tobias comes straight to me and gives me a tender kiss. Tyler follows close behind him and climbs up on my lap and buries his head in my chest. "What would you guys like for lunch?"

"Why don't you surprise us," I say leaning back on the couch holding Tyler. "How was your visit with Mr. Black?" He looks up at me and sticks his bottom lip out, pouting. "I'm sorry. Isn't there anything you like about spending time with him?"

"No," he says with pain in his voice then he sighs. Tessa starts whining, and I look at the clock. It's been two hours. I don't know who is more punctual and predictable, Tessa or Tyler.

"I have to feed your sister," I say, kissing the top of his head. "I love you. You know that."

"Moon back?" he says. His words tug at my heart.

"Yes," I say trying not to get too choked up. "To the moon and back." He hugs me tightly then gets down off my lap and runs over to Tobias who puts him in his booster seat at the island. I pick up Tessa, grab the nursing pillow, and sit down on the end of the couch. "Hey, little one. Are you hungry? Did you think Mommy forgot about you?" I pull my pajama top down, and she latches on to my breast and sucks hungrily. She doesn't need help anymore, she's a pro. When she's done, I change and swaddle her and put her in the bassinet so she can rest. Lucky baby gets a nap. Even as much as I love her, I would kill for a full night's sleep right about now.

"Are you ready for some soup and a sandwich?" Tobias asks.

"Yes, I'm starving," I say. I'm always hungry when I get done feeding her. I have started eating about six small meals instead of three large ones. I sit next to Tyler, and Tobias slides me a bowl of cheesy baked potato soup, half a turkey club sandwich with lettuce and tomato, and a bowl of fruit salad. I wash it all down with a large glass of milk. "Please tell me I have time to take a shower?"

"Of course you do," he says with a chuckle.

"Good," I say taking my dishes to the dishwasher. "Can you double check the diaper bag and make sure I haven't forgotten anything."

"Sure," he says. As I head toward the stairs, I stop and pull Tobias to me for a tender kiss. I even ignore Tyler's little giggles. I pull away, gently glide the side of my hand down his face, and say, "I love you."

"I love you, too," he says, strong emotion in his voice. I sigh and go upstairs to get ready to go to Candor. I've gotten so used to quick showers that I don't break the streak. I'm in and out within minutes. I wrap a fluffy towel around myself and go stand in front of my closet trying to figure out what to wear. I decide on one of the new stylish nursing-maternity dresses that Christina bought for me. It's a somewhat shimmery long-sleeved dark gray wrap dress that skims over my growing abdomen with a decorative tie belt that lies just below my expanding bust line. There's plenty of room in the dress to grow, and I'll even be able to wear it after the baby comes. But what I like most about the dress is that the wrap design makes it extremely convenient to nurse Tessa. I decide to pair the dress with simple black knee-high 3-inch high heeled leather boots and take the time to style my hair and put on my natural-looking makeup for the first time in weeks. I walk into my bedroom and look at myself in the mirror.

"You look fantastic," Tobias says in a husky tone from the doorway, startling me. I whirl around, placing my hand over my racing heart. His eyes roam over me.

"You scared me," I say. "Thank you though. It feels like forever since I dressed up. Where are the kids?"

"Tessa's asleep in the bassinet," he says. "Tyler's asleep on the couch. Poor little guy is exhausted."

"The judge better know what he's doing," I say angrily. "That poor child is going to need therapy if this doesn't end soon." He pulls me into his arms and holds me tight.

"We'll have our answer the day after tomorrow," he says.

"I really don't want to think about it right now," I say, my heart hurting. He puts his finger on my chin and tilts my head up.

"Whatever happens, we'll get through it," he says. He puts his lips on mine, and almost immediately I'm lost in his tender kiss. He slowly moves us until we run into the wall. The kiss deepens, and I groan loudly when I feel his hand glide up my body to cover my full breast. He kneads gently and I moan.

"Tobias," I say against his lips, breaking the trance and he moans. "We have to go."

"You're right," he roughly says, straightening up.

"Soon," I say. "I promise. It'll happen soon." I take his hand and lead him downstairs. "How long do you think we'll be gone?"

"Four or five hours I would think," he says.

"I'm going to pack three bottles just to be on the safe side," I say. "She ate a little over an hour ago, which means we'll have approximately nine hours before I _absolutely _have to be back to feed her."

"You're a wonderful mother," he says. "I don't tell you that enough." I look up from the diaper bag and smile at him.

"You tell me that all the time," I say. I finish packing the prepared bottles and double check the number of diapers. When I'm confident that there's enough supplies for both kids in the diaper bag, I close it. Tobias picks up Tyler and places him against his shoulder then takes the bag from me. I pick Tessa up from the bassinet and drape the beautiful pink blanket Mom and Dad gave us over her. We walk the short trek to Zander and Stella's apartment to drop of the kids.

"Tessa ate a little over an hour ago," I say, looking down at my peacefully sleeping baby. "She eats every two hours. She hasn't had a bottle since I started breastfeeding so I hope you don't have any trouble getting her to eat. She's a pretty quiet baby. She'll wake up soon and stay awake until right after she eats."

"Tris, we've got to go," Tobias says. Something bordering on panic rushes through my body. Stella must recognize it because she gives me a knowing look.

"I know it's difficult to leave them, Tris," she says, speaking from obvious experience, "but I'll take good care of her _and _Tyler. I promise."

"I know you will," I say. I put Tessa in her arms and feel the strong desire to snatch her back and run away as fast as I can. _Be brave, Tris, _I think to myself. _You can do this._ "We'll be back as soon as possible. Don't hesitate to call if you need _anything_." I probably sound like a maniac to her. She's had six babies. She knows what she's doing. I kiss Tessa's little head. "Mommy loves you." Then I kiss Tyler on the forehead. "Sleep tight, buddy. I love you, too."

"Tris." Tobias' voice is sounding stressed.

"I know, I know!" I say. We have to practically run to the garage, we're running so late. When we get in the car and are safely on our way to Candor, I decide to apologize to him. "I'm sorry. I didn't know that would be so hard. It wasn't that hard to leave Tyler at first."

"There's two reasons for that I imagine," he says. "First, you didn't love him when he first came to live with us. That might be harsh to say and hard to hear but it's the truth. Second, he wasn't a baby."

"Aren't you nervous at all about leaving her with Stella?" I ask, mixed emotions battling within me and to be honest a little ticked off at him. "You look so calm and laid back about the whole situation."

"I didn't want to leave her or Tyler today for a lot of different reasons," he says. "We might only have a couple more days with Tyler. Even though this interrogation is of the utmost importance, leaving him with Stella is robbing me of what precious time I might have left with my _son_. I might not ever forgive myself for that." I stare at him. I had no idea he was feeling this way. "And as for Tessa, I can barely stand to leave her with you every morning when I go to work. This feels 100 times worse."

"Are you mad at me?" I ask, barely able to stand the thought of him being upset with me. He sighs.

"Of course not," he says reaching over and putting his hand on my knee. "I understand what you're feeling right now. The anxiety, the fear. It's quite overwhelming. If I sounded like I was angry with you, I didn't mean to come off that way." I close my eyes and relax into the car seat, practicing the deep breathing exercise Tobias taught me when I found out about Peanut. The thought of my unborn child makes me smile. "What are you thinking about?"

"Peanut," I say, turning my head to look at him with a smile on my face. "I have an appointment with Isobel on the 23rd. She's going to do the 20-week ultrasound. She told me that if I want, she can tell me the sex of the baby. Do we want to know?"

"I do," he says. "I think it would be easier to prepare if we knew if Peanut was a boy or a girl, not that knowing helped us with Tessa. Her birth snuck up on us, and we didn't have a thing. I appreciate Christina shopping for us but she always gets _way _too much." I laugh at the expression on his face but I can't disagree. When her son is born, he is going to be the most spoiled child in Dauntless instead of mine.

"She is a bit excessive," I say with a chuckle. "I'm glad you want to know what we're having because I probably would have found out anyway then had a hard time keeping the secret from you. I just hope I get the news I want to hear."

"You want a boy, and I want a girl," he says matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, that's right," I say. "For some odd reason you want to bless our child with my gawky looks." He gives me a look of censure as we pull up in front of The Merciless Mart. "Sorry, I'm beautiful." I almost sound convincing this time ... almost. He parks the car and turns in his seat and gives me a severe look.

"When will you see yourself properly? Don't you remember our wedding day? Did Christina sit you in front of a mirror? Seeing you walk down the aisle toward me that evening was a high point in my life. You were beyond beautiful. The way you looked was … beyond words." I do remember looking at myself in the mirror before I walked down the aisle toward him. I'll agree. The woman who looked back at me matched Tobias in every way. I lean across the seat and kiss him roughly, passionately. I startle him at first but soon his lips are moving vigorously with mine, our hands tangled in each other's hair. A knock on the window brings us back to the present. I back away from my husband and turn to see my brother staring at me with a bashful smile on his face.

"Thank you for the compliment, Tobias," I say. "I love the way you see me, and I can see it now, I am beautiful." This time there's no hesitation in my voice. I give him another quick kiss then meet my brother outside. We hug each other tightly, and he kisses my cheek.

"Wow, look at you," he says. "Marriage and pregnancy looks good on you. So when do I get to meet my new little niece?"

"Anytime you want to stop by," Tobias says as he reaches us on the sidewalk. "Bring Cara with you, and we'll have a get together with Will and Christina." We know we're running late so we head into the building and up to the top floor for the interrogation. On our walk and elevator ride I tell Caleb all about Tessa and what a joy she is. We also talk about Tyler's custody battle a little, which tightens my heart.

"My little niece is a definite cutie," he says after I show him several pictures on my phone.

"You're not just saying that are you?" I ask with narrowed eyes, irrational pregnancy hormones making me question his sincerity. He laughs at me, shakes his head, and ruffles my hair like he used to when we were young children."

"She's gorgeous," he says. "She looks a lot like your husband. Poor girl."

"Hey!" I say. He puts both hands out in front of him.

"Kidding! Kidding!" he says.

"You better be," I say as we step into the cavernous interrogation room on the top floor of The Merciless Mart.

"I thought you learned when she punched you in the face that day not to rile her in her condition," Tobias says with a smile on his face. I just roll my eyes at him. We sit down next to Mom and Dad and within minutes Jack calls for quiet. A hush falls over the small crowd of onlookers immediately. The large door bangs open with an echo, and Jeffrey Walsh walks in flanked by two armed Candor guards. He sits in the interrogation chair that so many have sat in before him.

"Welcome this afternoon," Jack says. "I'm Jack Kang, leader of Candor." He sounds almost bored. "We are here today for the interrogation of Jeffrey Walsh who has been charged with the assault of Andrew Prior, the leader of the council. I will now hand the floor over to my colleague, Niles Murphy." Niles walks to the center of the room and stands by Jeffrey.

"I will be interrogating Jeffrey Walsh this afternoon. Like Jack said, he is accused of assaulting Andrew Prior, the leader of the council and a member of Abnegation. These are very serious charges," Niles says. "Jeffrey, I am going to be administering truth serum into a vein on the side of your neck. You will feel the effects immediately. Don't fight what you are feeling or you will experience pain. If you answer the questions immediately, there will never be any discomfort. Do you understand?"

"I do," he loudly says. Niles opens the familiar black box that he sat down on the small table just minutes ago and takes out an alcohol swab. He hands it to Jeffrey and instructs him to wipe off the left side of his neck, which he does then throws it away. Niles takes a syringe out of the same box and after tilting Jeffrey's head to expose the left side of his neck, he administers the serum. Like everyone before him, including me, he slumps in the chair and his eyes glaze over.

"Please state your full name for the record," Niles says. I see he learned with Tobias' first question a couple weeks ago to be a little more specific when asking for someone's name.

"Jeffrey Matthew Walsh," he says.

"What is your faction of birth and faction of choice?" he asks.

"Um," Jeffrey says, "I was adopted into Abnegation, and I chose Abnegation."

"What are your parent's names?" Niles asks. Jeffrey hesitates and flinches. "Matthew and Prudence Walsh are my adoptive parents, and Ethan Black and Evelyn Eaton are my birth parents." The pain had his words running together.

"Can you tell me where you were the morning of February 15 this year?" he asks.

"I had recently found out that my best friend, Robert Black, and his sister, Susan, are in fact my biological brother and sister. After learning we have the same father, Susan and I have been spending more time together. That morning I was walking to the Black family home to talk with her," Jeffrey says.

"When did you come across Andrew Prior?" Niles asks.

"The Priors and Blacks live on the same street," he says. "I was taking a shortcut between houses that morning. When I came around the corner near the Prior house, I saw two men dressed all in black assaulting Mr. Prior."

"What did you do?"

"I'm ashamed to admit this but I hid until they left," he said. "I watched as one held him while the other punched him repeatedly in the face. Almost as soon as I saw them, the big one dropped Mr. Prior, who landed in a heap at his feet, and kicked him. After that they turned and ran off. I went to him and checked on his injuries." His eyes seem to glaze further like he's reliving what he saw that morning. "His breathing was extremely shallow. He gasped then stopped breathing. We learned rescue breathing and CPR in upper levels so I did what we were taught until he started breathing again." When I hear just how close my father came to death that morning I can't stop the tears from rolling down my cheeks. Tobias holds me close, comforting me. I glance at my parents and see them in an almost duplicate position, tears and all. "I heard noises and thought the two men were coming back so I ran off. I was scared. I'm sorry." I see Niles ask Jack a question but can't hear their conversation. So we _still _don't know who attacked my father. This gets more frustrating by the minute. The only good thing is that Tobias might be able to get to know his brother instead of witness his execution.

"Can you describe these men for us, Jeffrey?" Niles asks.

"Of course. I'll never forget them. Since they were both dressed all in black, I assume there are Dauntless. The first one was quite tall, muscular, and had dark wavy hair. He also had what looked like a tattoo on his upper back. I was able to see part of it coming out of his shirt. The other man was dark skinned and quite a bit shorter than the other one. He also wasn't as bulky. He had black hair that he wore cut close to his scalp." I can't help myself. I tense up and gasp. He just almost perfectly described Tobias and Zeke. I know it wasn't them. I was with Tobias that morning so it rules him out as being a suspect. What am I thinking? He would never hurt Dad. He would never hurt _me _that way. He knows my family is too important to me. This is madness. I have to stop thinking this way. I see Jack eyeing Tobias suspiciously, and I want to scream.

"We have one final question for you, Jeffrey," Niles says. "What is your greatest regret?" He sits in the chair as still as stone.

"I regret having fallen in love with a girl who turned out to be my biological sister. I believe it could have been avoided if my parents would have just told me I was adopted at an earlier age. My feelings for her still plague my dreams," he says. Oh, that's the most scandalous thing I've heard during these interrogations.

"Thank you for your honesty," rings out, echoing throughout the chamber. I hope that last statement doesn't haunt him because his entire family is here including Susan and Robert. Niles does something that surprises me, he administers the antiserum to Jeffrey.

"Since all charges against Jeffrey Walsh have been proven false, he will be free to go home today," he says. Jack whispers something in Niles ear then comes to stand directly in front of me and Tobias.

"Can we talk, Four?" he asks.

* * *

><p><strong>AN: I put the link to Tris' wrap dress on my profile. I hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday season! See you all Tuesday!**


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